Quilt #6 - Outfoxed

I love this fabric!  Quilt #6 for 2012 is "Sparkling Cider" from All Washed Up.  With the borders it will finish at 64" X 80", a little big for a baby quilt, but I couldn't resist using every piece in Lizzy House's collection, "Outfoxed." I especially love the little hedgehogs.  Jacob's 5th grade class had a pet hedgehog -- very cute, but it smelled.  Fabrics are from freshsqueezedfabrics.


I wanted to take the photo outside to see how the colors would look in natural light.  Guess what:  the wind is blowing.  So I had the boys hold it up next to the living room window in the most light available inside.  I think the colors are pretty true.

This one will go to Japan for a sailor's new baby.

WIP Wednesday

Temperatures in the lower 20 degrees Fahrenheit make good quilting days  This one will probably be completed tomorrow, so more details then.

It's good to take photos before the blocks are sewn together, as I can see some re-arranging is needed!

Quilt #5 Cheaper by the Dozen

Finally I got the outside border for this quilt -- I pieced it during Christmas weekend and had a heckuva time getting the border fabric.  But here it is, #5 for 2012!  The pattern is from Legacy Patterns and is called "Cheaper by the Dozen."  For a finished size quilt of 59" X 74", you need twelve fat quarters.  I used leftover Summerhouse by Lily Ashbury from my October Quilt Camp class.


This would make an excellent baby quilt or charity quilt, as it took only a couple of hours to put together.

Sundays are for Scraps -- or Dots

This project will fill my Scrappy Sundays for weeks to come.  "Completely Dotty" is from the February 2004 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.  I started collecting polka dot fabrics seven years ago!
 

This is a paper-pieced project, a technique I don't especially like.  I made the paper foundations years ago, so the most tedious part of the project is complete.  I miss my youngest son, who was my "foundation paper remover."  But at quilt retreat in April, I learned a neat trick from Marilyn of Cindy's Quilt Shop in Caldwell, Idaho.  Here's how it works:  after sewing all the seams on the paper foundation and trimming the block, put the block paper-side-up on a terry cloth towel (or well padded ironing board).  Then take a chopstick and run the wide end of the chopstick along the seam.  The paper will tear away easily and when removed, won't disturb your stitches.  Be sure to use a larger size needle (I use a size 14 for paper piecing) and smaller stitch (2.0 or even 1.5) when sewing paper foundation blocks.

And I have this cool "Dots" lunch box to store my pieces in until they're all sewn to the foundations!

 Here is my first finished block -- except for the center.  The pattern shows a variety of circles for the center, including spiral applique' or plain colored circles.  I haven't decided what I will use, but I have eleven more blocks to make before I have to choose.

Looks like Sundays will be Completely Dotty for awhile!