Friday, November 30, 2012

Friday Finish and Giveaway Winner

Whew!  I'm halfway to my 30 Quilts in 60 Days!

Here are the quilts I've quilted and bound since my last "30 Days" post.

First up, a Fat Quarter Fun quilt from last year.  I'm calling it "Prince Charming," since most of the fabric is from Tula Pink's "Prince Charming" collection:


Next is another Fat Quarter Fun project, "Gemini."


Made from 30s reproduction fabrics, this is a BIG quilt.  It nearly covers the top of my king-sized bed.  Even so, it was fast to quilt because I quilted an allover meander pattern.


Second finish this week is "Chain Reaction," sewn from Kate Spain's "Terrain" collection.  I experimented with a "chain link squares" quilting pattern.  I love the way this quilting design crinkles up when the quilt is washed:


In fact, I liked it so much, I used it again for "Line Dance," made with a Kate Spain "Central Park" jelly roll:


I quilted the chain pattern in the background and loops-and-swirls in the prints:



I didn't quilt this one, but it's going to Japan so I wanted to show it to you before I mailed it.  This is My Little Sailor's graduation quilt (from 2007).  The design is a Judy Niemeyer paper-pieced pattern, "4th of July."


 Sonya Chin custom quilted it -- isn't the quilting stunning?



And now, the giveaway winner!

This is how I tricked you into reading through the whole post!

After jumping through some statistical hoops, the winner of the giveaway is Hueisei, in Malaysia!


I'm delighted, because Hueisei was an early follower of my blog and always says nice things in the comments.  Hueisei, I'll be emailing you asking for your mailing address and we'll see how my post office does with this international mailing!


Linking up to Sarah's "Whoop Whoop" and Richard and Tanya's "Link a Finish Friday," and Crazy Mom Quilts "Finish it up Friday."


From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

WIP Wednesday: Autumn Block a Day

I'm keeping up with the "30 Quilts in 60 Days" project, but everything else is falling behind!

I did manage to piece my November "Schnibbles Little Bites" quilt top, "Drop."


I used the mini-charms of "Marmalade" I bought  on my October trip to Idaho.  This quilt is an excellent example of what happens when the quilter is in a hurry and doesn't read the directions carefully.  Yes, the size is correct.  However:  each row of triangles around the tiny little center square of each block is supposed to be from the same fabric.  My first row is from four different fabrics,  and so the "square in a square" design is lost.  You'll just have to trust me when I say it looks better in person!

I am way, way behind on my "Block a Day" project for Autumn.


I thought the black-white-and-yellow jelly roll would work well for this project.  But alas, again:  the tessellating cross design doesn't show up because there isn't enough contrast.  It will be a fun quilt, but . . . .  AND I should have 70 blocks pieced by Saturday, and so far, I only have 27!

It's a good thing I'm happy with the quilting I've been doing this week!  I'll show off the week's quilts on Finish it Up Friday.

In the meanwhile, have you completed the "Sold on Solids" survey here and commented to enter my giveaway?  I'm collecting fat quarters of solids from various manufacturers to give away, and the bundle is getting bigger and bigger!




From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Monday, November 26, 2012

Monday Mystery with Poinsettias

The big news this week in quilt land is Bonnie Hunter's newest mystery, "Easy Street."  This is my first year playinig along, and so far I am right on track.  Of course, we're only at Step 1!

I'm quite pleased that I got all my first step completed and still kept up with quilting and binding for 30 Quilts in 60 Days.


Here they are, 192 four-patch units of grey and black-and-white:


Go here to see other mystery quilters progress.

"Easy Street" is not the only mystery chez Aunt Marti.  These past two years I've made a little book of the photos of all 52 quilts I've made that year.  This year when I got my book back from Snapfish, I realize I don't remember to whom I gave several of the quilts.  So the second mystery is, who got these quilts?

Quilt #1 is "Yellow Brick Road."  Every quilter's favorite "I need a quilt to give away TOMORROW" quilt, this was a "brown bag surprise" at Ruth's Stitchery.


Quilt #2 was another mystery.  Written by Deb Caffrey, I started this one at Quilt Colorado 2010:


A third "brown bag surprise" at Ruth's Stitchery, "Framed Squares."


"Over and Under" was the green monochrome quilt in 2011 from Patchwork Times:


Another monochrome quilt from 2011, I called this one "Mellow Yellow."


Actually, when I consider I've given away 42 quilts in the past two years -- it's not bad that I can't remember five of them!

DH abandoned the Broncos game to go to Dutch Heritage Gardens and look at the poinsettias with me yesterday.  Who knew there were that many colors of poinsettias?  Here are two of their newest varieties.  The first one is "Tinkerbell,"  just for you, Michelle  (who blogs at Just for the Piece of It):



I love the serrated leaves and bloom.

I can't remember the name of this one (really must remember to write these things down!), but it has the brightest red bloom: and mottled leaves:



I hope YOU remember to go here to complete my solid-fabric survey and comment to enter the giveaway.  The giveaway ends this Friday, November 30th (thanks, Jeannie!) at noon MST.  

From the desk of your auntmartisignature