Friday, November 7, 2014

Friday Finish: Jelly Roll Party Day

I really missed hosting Jelly Roll Party at Ruth's Stitchery last month. But spending the time with My Little Sailor made it worth missins!

Today's Jelly Roll quilt is Parallel Universe from Cozy Quilts.
Parallel Universe

My version is made with "Elementary" from Sweetwater. Two of my favorites -- pattern designer and fabric designers -- in one quilt!

Elementary - Sweetwater for Moda - Jelly Roll

This is a super-quick sew using the Strip Tube ruler, also from Cozy Quilts. Go to the link for a demo on using this clever tool. It makes sewing HSTs from strips a breeze!

Enough tease. Here is the finished quilt:


Today is the day partiers vote on the strip quilts they want to make next year. Do you have a favorite strip/jelly roll quilt? Share in the comments, please!


From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Thursday's Yarn Day

It's the time of year when Hats for Sailors knitters finish up "just one more hat" to mail to the HFS coordinator. We don't yet know which ship will be the recipient of our stitches, but I know the Sailors aboard will love the hats!

We have two "deadlines" to send in hats, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. My goal is always to knit one hat per month. My friend and long-arm quilter, Cornelia, also knit hats this year. A friend and member of the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild (and graduate student at Colorado School of Mines!) Emily, knit hats too.

Here is the stack I mailed yesterday:


I printed a little label on business card stock to attach to each hat. It reads:
Thank you  for your service to our country.
You are remembered and appreciated
by someone in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

I'm also hosting the Knit-Along (KAL) on the Ravelry group "Hats for Sailors." Go to Ravelry.com for details. 

The Dishcloth Diva, Deb Buckingham, designed a new hat pattern just for us. It's called "Fair Winds and Following Seas," I've already shared a photo, but here it is again:


I have some special skeins of yarn to give away to knitters who finish a hat this month and post a photo of their finished hat on the Ravelry group forum. 




Each is a unique, hand-dyed yarn -- but 100% washable wool, as required for Hats for Sailors!

I hope you'll consider joining us to knit a hat! 


From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Monday, November 3, 2014

Sunday Stash -- On Monday

I didn't get yesterday's Stash Report posted, because . . . well, read on, and you'll see why!

During my whirlwind trip to Idaho last week, I made only one quilt shop stop. On my way to the airport, I dropped by my favorite Boise Shop, Quilt Expressions. It's the only shop I know that is even larger than Ruth's Stitchery. And they always have something unique!

In this case, it was a good selection of Aboriginal fabrics. I owe a quilt to the DH of my Idaho hostess, and I think these will make the perfect quilt for him!


The pattern is a Quilt Expressions original, "Neighborhood Association." 

Only one more addition to my fabric stash this week. This is "A Field Guide" by Moda. I scored this bundle on Gotcha Covered Quilting's Instagram de-stash.


It will be perfect for my next "low volume" quilt.

And now, the reason nothing is getting done at my house this week!


My beloved Siamese, Prince Chulalongkorn, died two years ago. We have two other cats, but neither one wants to cuddle me. So for my birthday, a friend offered this little cutie!


I usually give my cats "food names: (i.e. Marmalade, Chutney, Chocolate Mousse) so this little guy is named "Samosa." For my favorite savory pastry!

It's been a hard week, but one simply cannot be sad when one has a purring kitten on one's lap!

From the desk of your auntmartisignature