wip wednesday: lots to do

I have several projects in the works but I'm busy riding on the high of releasing my first pattern! The Humperdink Tote is available on Craftsy and you can read more about it in my last post.

Excitement aside, I really do need to get on the ball because I have two commission quilts to finish er, start. I'm using these soft florals to create an Xs and Os baby quilt for a little girl due in July. I need to add some bright coordinating prints. Any suggestions would be most welcome!

I also have plans to use these purple and silver prints to make an hourglass quilt for another little girl, due in June.

I'm also pleased to have finished a house block for Jamie:

and improv blocks for Hannah,

which means I've fulfilled my guild bee commitments for this round! We have exciting plans for the next round and I can't wait to start!

I'm linking up today with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and I Have To Say for Show and Tell Tuesday!

wip wednesday: bee block redux

Last year I decided I only wanted to do one bee. More than that and I felt like all my sewing time was spent on making blocks for others.

My local guild, the Fort Collins Modern Quilt Guild, was the perfect choice. Since all the bee mates are friendly, there's no stress if a block is late and best of all, no postage since we just bring them to the meetings.

Here are all the bee blocks I photographed! Sometimes in my haste to finish I fail to take pictures.


X and + Blocks for Jane:

Strip of strips for Michelle:

Spool Block for Beth:

Converging Corners block for Jody:

House block for Jamie (Jamie took this photo for me):

I'm also working on a second block for Jamie:

The downside of making all these blocks is that I love them so  much I want to make quilts out of them! Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

wip wednesday: still quilting

I find that I can only quilt in short bits of time. I get bored with the repetitive motions and my neck and back get tense. And finding the time is not easy, which is why it's taking for. ev. er. to quilt my "Oh My Stars" quilt. But I like how it's going, despite the snail's pace! I love stippling with loops... it's a very forgiving pattern.

I have to get some momentum, though, because this thing has to be DONE by next Thursday! I need to finish my hexy pillows by then, too.

Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

 

wip wednesday: quilting and binding

I've been working on several projects lately: a quilt for my husband's boss, a quilt for a quilt festival in August, and a pillow from the MQG's Madrona Road Challenge fabric which is also for the quilt festival. I'm getting so close on all three projects!

Last Saturday I rented time on a long arm quilting machine and quilted this massive 96" square quilt for my husband's boss. It looks so good! (I loved using the long arm and can't wait to do it again!) The binding is made for this quilt and just needs to be sewn on.

This next quilt is called "Oh My Stars", and is pieced from bee blocks made by the members of the Fort Collins Modern Quilt Guild during my months in 2012 and 2013. We used the Starflower block tutorial from Ellison Lane and then I (with ideas and inspiration from my friend Michelle) assembled the top. I really love how it turned out! I also love that I pieced the back from a rainbow fat quarters from my stash. This quilt is being basted right now, and the binding is ready and waiting, too. I need to get on it already!

(The punk has a habit of photo bombing.)

Last but not least, I'm working on two pillows from the (#itendedlongagoandthesearewayoverdue) Madrona Road Challenge that was sponsored by the Modern Quilt Guild earlier this year. Our guild plans to have a display of things made from Madrona Road at the quilt festival we are showing at in August.

I decided some English paper piecing (EPP) was in order, so I've got these designs basted and ready to be sewn to their backgrounds:

 

I probably should have at least ironed the solids before taking these photos. Whoops.

 

Linking up to Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

wip wednesday: getting ready for quiltcon

I'm so excited for QuiltCon! I've never been to Austin and I hear it's a great city, plus the chance to get away is always fun! My hubby has been so supportive and encouraging when it comes to this trip... I couldn't do it without him! Thanks, honey. :)

In the spirit of travelling handmade, I've got a couple of projects I want to make and take with me: a QAYG tote/handbag, and a duffle bag. I'm finishing the quilt-as-you-go panels for my tote at the moment.

 

 

And the duffle bag fabric has been picked out, (this is from MoMo's Oh Deer line) but I'm having second thoughts...

In fact, I just now went back to my sewing room and decided to use this next fabric, instead!

I'll use the same fabric for the handles. Not sure about the lining yet, but I'm much happier with my new choice. The first print seemed a little young for me to be carrying around... I still think it's adorable, though and I'll always love MoMo!

When I reflect on it, I think my original fabric choice has been the hold up on making this bag. I've had the pattern and the fabric since September, but I never jumped in. Now that I'm feeling better about this new print, I feel ready to tackle the bag! Does that happen to anyone else? Does a fabric choice hold you back because it doesn't feel quite right?

Besides my QuiltCon projects, I'm working on several bee blocks. Another round of the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee has started and I'm working with HSTs...

Plus I joined the Sugar Block Club. This is my first time working with only solids and I'm excited to see how this quilt turns out! Here's January's block...

Are you going to QuiltCon? What are you working on?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

wip wednesday: zero progress

I have made zero progress on Christmas gifts since last WIP Wednesday. I've spent no time in my sewing room in the last week... sad. Christmas won't get done this way!

I did make a teeny, tiny bit of progress on my Modern Medallion quilt while we were at my mom's house for Thanksgiving. I finally finished embroidering all the running stitch HSTs and have moved on to the satin stitched jewels.

Here's a picture in awful light since I didn't realize it was WIP Wednesday until about an hour ago... I thought it was still Tuesday. :) And it gets dark early here in the late fall.

Definitely not perfect, but for my first one, it's better than I thought it would be. Luckily it doesn't bug me enough to want to take out all. those. stitches.

Stop by my destash post while you're here!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

wip wednesday: prepping for christmas!

I've got several Christmas projects in the works, all of which I can't share here for fear of ruining the surprise. So I'll show you the fabric I pulled instead!

I love these HR seahorses... they are my fave print from Mendocino... in all colorways!

A little Joel Dewberry playing nice with Lizzy House...

And this one might be my favorite! Happy, bright colors!

In addition to working on Christmas gifts, I'm also finishing up a sewing bag that I'm really excited to share about, hopefully next week. A friend designed the pattern and I know you'll love it as much as I do!

I'm also making a little something (actually, kind of a big something) with ruffles! I tried machine basting them, and broke the threads as I was gathering the ruffle. So I've been doing it by hand... ruffles are not my forte.

Don't forget to check out my destash post while you're here!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

i didn't go to sewing summit...

...but I am going to the very first Fort Collins Modern Quilt Guild retreat this weekend! I'm super excited to spend a weekend sewing with friends. I have a loooooong list of projects to work on:

1. Ruby's Prince QAYG: I started this one last November at a retreat with Amanda Jean. I'm determined to finish it soon!

this is one of the blocks from Ruby's Prince

2. Bee Blocks for the 4x5. I'm in the Hexy Hive this round and I'm enjoying a combination of English paper piecing and traditional piecing.

3. Handstitched Quilt: I'm in the middle of the embroidery phase in the white space of this quilt, and I'm loving the handwork! The class is long over, but I'm still plugging away.

4. FCMQG Bee block for a friend who's been waiting very patiently since June. :)

5. Football blanket... in progress and super cute!

6. A mini quilt for this contest.

It's ambitious, for sure, but hopefully I'll get to a good portion of it!

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

wip wednesday

Still cranking out the ticker tape quilt... it's taking a lot longer than I thought it would!

Did a sample block for the 4x5 Bee... and then changed my mind about it. I love this plus block, but now I'm thinking I'd like to make a Sparkle block for my hive members instead? I don't know. Waffle, waffle, waffle.

Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

wip wednesday: found the camera!

Finally found the camera in a ridiculously obvious place... in plain sight in my bedroom. Apparently if I had exerted just *thismuch* energy in finding it, last week's post would have been entirely different. Live and learn. :)

I'm working on a ticker tape quilt for a friend's baby. It's my first one, and I'm super excited about how it's turning out.

I've also finished a couple of bee blocks. I used the Starflower Block tutorial from Ellison Lane.

My to-do list is getting completely out of control... I currently have 21 projects on the list, only four of which are actually in progress.

I'm linking to Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and Stitched in Color for the Scrap Attack!

wip wednesday: the one where i can't find my camera

Shhhh! The baby is sleeeeeeping. So I figured I'd get myself set up to post on ye olde blog. I opened the curtains to let in some nice light, laid out some pretty fabrics and a couple of WIPs to photograph...

And that's where I've come to a screeching halt. I know that stupid camera is around here somewhere, but it's either hunt for it or post, and I chose to post. Lucky you! :)

So I'm currently working on a couple of bee blocks. Our quilt guild is doing a local bee and it's my month first! I chose Ellison Lane's Starflower Block tutorial and I'm excited to see how things turn out. Our guild is awesome, and we have some very talented ladies!

I also have a scrappy ticker tape quilt in the works for a friend's baby, and I'm gathering fabrics to make my very own Swoon! I joined the Swoon-Along on Flickr a few weeks ago... I've mostly been stalking the group but finally posted a couple of times and now the group is massive!

So that's me, what are you working on? I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced... head on over and see what people are doing!

wip wednesday {quilt as you go} and retreat recap

Ahhhh... I love quilting retreats! It is so, so nice to be surrounded by people who share your passion.

I only have one problem.

I didn't take a single picture. Not. one. picture.

Baaaad Carmen!

At any rate, it was a great weekend. I got to see my local friends, I got to sew with far away friends, and I got to meet some new friends! These lovely ladies include Tara, Penny, Amanda, Randi, Jennifer, Audrey, Melodee, Darla, Ruth, Amanda, Rebecca, Emily, Julie, and Lizzy (oh boy, I hope I didn't forget anyone!)

As always, the food was yummy. Tara is such a fabulous cook and hostess!

I worked on my star block quilt... I've decided to call it Ruby's Prince since it includes my new love, Ruby by Bonnie and Camille, and my other favorite line, Tula Pink's Prince Charming. This is a quilt as you go quilt, and I got six and a third blocks quilted. Some people quilted ALL of their blocks and started joining them! I must have been going reaaaaaally slow, haha.

Anyway, here are the blocks I finished:

Unfortunately, I have to put these fun quilt blocks away until the new year. It's time to work on Christmas presents! I started one last night:

Isn't it great? :) Hopefully next week I'll have more to show you and it'll be more obvious as to what it is.

I'm linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced! Head on over and see what other people are working on.