Some Friday Finishes

I may not have been blogging much, but that doesn't mean I haven't been quilting! 

November's Jelly Roll Party at Ruth's Stitchery features not one, but three easy strip quilts. All three are included in one pattern, "Strip it Three Ways II" by Nancy Rink Designs. The three quilts in this pattern are named "Earth," "Wind," and "Fire." (Hmm, sounds like a rock group I remember!)

When I started the sample for this class, I thought I would make only one of the three quilts. The first one I made is called "Earth." It's made with Robert Kaufman's Kona New Dark Palette roll up. The background is Michael Miller's cotton couture in the color "Earth." (I got a kick out of using that fabric for the "Earth" quilt. Note: the actual fabric is more of a brown color than it looks on the computer screen.)

Friend and long-armer Denise, of Pickle Dish Quilting, quilted this one with my favorite figure-8s design. We like Omni thread from Superior for quilting -- it comes in so many colors, and slides through the long arm machine like a hot knife through butter!

So "Earth" went together so fast, I decided to whip up "Fire."  I had two Wilmington Jewels "Wanted . . . Red or Alive" strip sets left over from making a 12th birthday quilt for my great-nephew. The strip set has red, orange, yellow, grey, and black strips -- so I selected only the bright colors, plus a few batik scraps. I used Northcott's Artisan Shimmer in grey with silver metallic dots for the background -- I think it looks like smoke.

Denise quilted this one with a "flame" pattern using a unique variegated thread from Superior called "Lava."

Fair warning: there are corrections for this pattern at Nancy Rink Designs.

The third, and last quilt in the collection is "Wind." Because my blog co-editor is a US Navy Sailor, I thought more of "water" than wind. The jelly roll I used is "Hearty Good Wishes" by Janet Clare for Moda, along with some scraps from her "Nocturne" collection. The background is also from "Nocturne."

Click on the photo so you can see the cool, wavy quilting design Denise's daughter, Kristina used for this one. Isn't it perfect?

So, choose one or all three! 


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Another Friday Finish

Again, two, in fact!

The best thing about unexpected time off from work is, a lot of quilts get finished! This week, I bound two.

The first one is winging its way to Idaho. A former classmate needs a heart transplant, and this quilt will be raffled at my class reunion next month to raise money for the surgery.

This was a fun quilt to make, started in a class at Sew-ciety in Castle Rock. The pattern is Dash in a Box from Quilter's Dream. Here is the post where I introduced this quilt -- in 2013!

I bound it using Susie's Magic Binding, with orange as the main color and bright blue as the accent.  Thank you to all the staff at Ruth's Stitchery for helping me decide on binding colors!

The second finish is the September Jelly Roll Party sample for Ruth's Stitchery. The pattern is Leaf it to Me from Cozy Quilts. I loved the colors in Daniela's sample so much, I tried to copy them the best I could. I used a Hoffman Bali Pops in the "Nirvana" color for the leaves, and another Hoffman Bali batik for the purple borders.

The border on this one is "Jean's Genius Binding," which makes the quilt look like it has no binding at all. I love it!

Which reminds me, I'll be teaching both Susie's Magic Binding and Jean's Genius Binding at Ruth's next Saturday, August 20. If you're in the neighborhood, bring a ready-to-bind-quilt and we'll bind it that afternoon!

Back to work on my "Ugly Christmas Sweater" quilt. Winter is coming!


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Finally a Friday Finish

The best thing about solo vacations is, there's lots of time for sewing!

On my recent trip to Idaho, I hid out in a mountain cabin and sewed for three days -- what a treat! I made two projects, start to finish.

First up, a 25th anniversary quilt for my nephew and his sweet wife. Wedding and anniversary quilts are the only ones for which I allow requests. Kristi saw a "puzzle quilt" online and said, "That's what I want!" It took me a few months to find  pattern, then a few more months to decide on fabric, then a few more months to get it sewn, quilted, and bound. But it will go in the mail today!

The pattern is "Snuggle Blocks" by Margot Languedoc Designs for The Pattern Basket. I made it one row longer, so it's a good "snuggle" size. The fabric is 30s reproductions from my stash. Background is Moda's Essential Dots from Ruth's Stitchery. It's tiny red dots on an off-white background. The binding, of course, is Susie's Magic Binding with a solid red flange.The pattern quilt finishes at 49" x 58" -- this one is 10" longer.

Next up is a hostess gift for another niece, who displays rooster motifs in her country kitchen. I bought this table runner kit in Schertz, Texas last summer at the Scrappy Quilter -- you know, because it's OK to buy it just because you think it's pretty! When I spent the night at this niece's house, I knew this runner would be perfect for her.

It was pretty funny trying to get a photo -- thanks, DH, for being the quilt hanger!

The fabric is Bohemian Roosters by Daphne B for Wilmington Prints. The runner  finishes at 12" x 63" -- longer than most, but my niece has a big kitchen table.

Today, I'm working on the 12th birthday quilt for the last great-nephew in that generation. It's a new technique for me, so come back Monday to see what's on the design wall!


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Some Friday Finishes

Just because I haven't been posting, doesn't mean I haven't been piecing!

Here are some finishes from this month:

1.  The very first "modern" quilt I made was pieced several years ago. I finally had it quilted by Vivian at Ruth's Stitchery.

The fabrics are all Kona cottons. The greens are from a FQ bundle, "Poseidon." The pattern is from Northcott.

Sorry I forgot to take a photo before Anne hung the quilt in the shop! The colors are much more intense in person.

2.  Robert Kaufman fabrics chose their own "color of the year" for 2016. It's "Highlight," a vivid yellow reminiscent of the first highlighter pens -- remember those?

I used Tula Pink's "Houndstooth" pattern from her book, "Quilts from the House of Tula Pink." The single black block is a Hoffman batik called Raven. I call this quilt "Crow in the Wheatfield."

3.  The third finish is the sample for the May Jelly Roll Party.

It's called "Vintage Tulips" and I used Bonnie and Camille's "Vintage Picnic" jelly roll, along with a few older Bonnie and Camille fabrics. 

Snow predicted for Colorado this weekend -- 

maybe it will be a "sew day!"

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A Friday Finish

You know jelly roll -- "strip" -- quilts are my favorite. This one may become your favorite, too!

[Sorry it's not the best photo. I forgot to take a picture before it was hung in the shop!]

"Rolling Fields" was the February Jelly Roll Party quilt at Ruth's Stitchery. The pattern is from Legacy Quilts, and the fabric is "Thyme with Friends" by Kris Lammers for Maywood Studios. I was especially excited to use this fabric line because Kris is a friend from Idaho!

Because my photo isn't the best, here is a shot of the FQ bundle from the Maywood website:

Aren't the colors just delightful? The pattern requires two jelly rolls, but no background fabric. And it's so fast and easy, I bought enough jelly rolls to make it twice more!

Lalala, I've been shopping! Come back Sunday to see my stash additions!



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Friday Finish

This Jelly Roll Party quilt was a big hit with Ruth's Stitchery customers. Five "jelly rollers" made their quilt with the same fabrics as the sample!

The fabrics are "Cold Spell" by Laundry Basket Quilts. I love this collection particularly, because it has both batiks and cottons. For years, we quilters thought we shouldn't mix cottons and batiks. Edyta Sitar proved that rule to be wrong wrong wrong!

The pattern is "Winter Solstice" from Cozy Quilts. The only change I made to the pattern was using my favorite "Corner Clipper" ruler rather than sew and flip triangles for the star points.

Oh -- and the white "patches" in the border are class information signs for the shop!

Big snow predicted for Colorado this weekend. It's a "sew-day!"

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Finally a Friday Finish!

I've been on an extended trip to Texas, so the Friday Finishes have been thin on the ground.

Here's the May Jelly Roll Party sample:

The pattern is "True North" by Peta Peace of She Quilts Alot. The fabric is Daysail from Bonnie & Camille. I love the "waves" that Vivian quilted on it!

I used my Folded Corner Clipper to make the folded triangles in each block. I noticed Ruth's Stitchery has re-stocked this favorite tool. If you're planning a quilt with these triangles, do yourself a favor and order one!

Tomorrow is a trunk show by Jen Kingwell at Mama Said Sew in Ft. Collins. I can't wait to see her gorgeous quilts in person!

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A Fast Friday Finish

The story behind this week's finish is a bit disheartening.

I make a baby quilt for each IBMer on the DH's team when they have a new baby. One quilt I mailed earlier this year went missing in the mail. First time I've ever had that happen! And of course, I had tossed the receipt  so it couldn't be tracked.

I bought a kit for a "Foxy" baby quilt at Nana's Quilt Cottage just before Christmas. It looked to be fast and easy, so I whipped it up to replace the missing quilt.

The pattern is "joy" by Homegrown patterns for Villa Rosa Designs. It only takes one yard each of the main fabric and the background. I used "Good Natured" by Marin Sutton for Riley Blake. The backing is a lovely, grey "Minky."

My Mega Quilter is currently hiding out with the repair dude, so I quilted this on my Juki. Quilting a quilt with Minky backing is hard on the wrists. The Minky tends to "stick" to the machine bed, so it has to be held up with both hands and guided through the machine. 

I always wash baby quilts before I give them away, so the mama knows the quilt is machine washable. The Minky doesn't shrink as much as the cotton top of the quilt, but I think it turned out OK.

I used a new binding method I'm calling "Jean's Genius Binding." Come back Tuesday to learn this clever new binding technique!

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February Friday Finishes

Just because I love alliteration . . .

Before I share the new finishes for this month, allow me to remind you to comment for a chance to win this:

in my "Grow Your Blog" giveaway.

The prize is all packed up in a padded envelope and ready to mail Monday morning. Giveaway ends at midnight Valentine's Day! Go here to comment for your chance to win!

And now for the finishes:

First, the next 12th birthday in my family falls to Harrison. He loves Legos and superheroes -- so this "Bit o' Color" quilt made me think of him.

The back story is on this post.  I found this kit for "Bit 'o Color" at NaLa's after-Christmas sale. I love the spiral-striped binding fabric from Ruth's Stitchery. Should have bought the rest of the bolt!

There are two new "IBM babies" on my DH's team recently. The quilt tops have been finished for months, but I've been having trouble with my long-arm machine, so the tops weren't quilted until this week.

I can't believe I never showed this Shoo-Fly last summer, when that was the "Block a Day" design! The fabrics are from my precious Lizzie House collection. I quilted it on my Juki, and bound it in pink "Pearl Bracelets," since it is for a baby girl.

Here is the finished Scrap Crazy quilt. Details here, and thank you Cathy for helping me find just the right "Grunge" colors for the binding.

(Notice that snow shovel in the background? Even though Colorado temperatures have been unseasonably warm, we keep it close!)

My "600 Posts" giveaway will be announced Monday. 
Come back to enter!


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TGIFF January Jelly Roll Party

I was busy posting the New Year's Day UFO Parade, and forgot to share the latest Jelly Roll Party finish!

Here it is, "Strip to Shore" by Gudrun Erle. The quilters at Jelly Roll Party decided she named it this because the half-hexagons sort of look like lifesaver ring buoys on sail boats. Hmm, I'll have to ask My Little Sailor if they have those on the big ships.

I'm rather proud of the quilting on this one. I wanted the quilting to follow the hexagons, so I quilted it on my domestic machine using multi-colored King Tut thread. Because I hate wrestling large quilts through the harp of the Juki, I quilted "S to S" in two halves, then joined them using the "quilt as you go method." Thanks, Cathy, for the advice!

If you click on the photo, you can see the quilting closeup!

This quilt has already been sent to the USS George Washington, to PO Paolo Bayas. His photo, "the ultimate selfie," won the #1 photo in the entire US Navy for 2014. Congratulations, Paolo! Click here to read the story behind the photos.

That's quilt #1 in the book for 2015. I've actually made three this year -- maybe I'll make it to 52 again?



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Friday Finish: Happy Halloween!

It's my favorite holiday! When else do you get to dress up in costume, know on strangers' doors, and demand candy?

I'm a big big "Wizard of Oz" fan. I remember the first time I saw the movie in color -- I finally understood the "Horse of a Different Color!"

So you won't be surprised when I show you my new door hanging:

I think this is supposed to be a "trick or treat" bag, but I use it for my knitting bag during the month of October. It was made by one of the DH's aunts, and I get so many compliments on it!

Happy Halloween!

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First Block-a-Day Finish

Rather than make 90 Shoo-Fly blocks for the Summer Block-a-Day, I decided to make several different projects using the Shoo-Fly block.

My first 30 blocks each finish at 15" -- for a double-bed sized quilt.

Almost too big for my quilt holder! The fabrics are blue Liberty of London Lifestyle prints, with three Moda Bella solids. I'm not normally a "blue" person, but this will be perfect in the downstairs bedroom.

I received an email from a follower who said so far she has made one Shoo-Fly block this summer. Not to worry, it is possible to make an entire quilt from just one (or two) blocks!

I spied this quilt in the Sew Downtown booth at Quilt Colorado last week. It is 66" square with one large and one small Shoo-Fly block. The shop has kits for the quilt; the pattern is in the Springtime in the Rockies program book.

July 30 is the 40th day of summer -- so I'm five blocks behind! How are you doing with your Block-a-Day?

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One Fast Friday Finish

That was one fast finish! I just started knitting with my Mother's Day yarn on Wednesday morning, and I finished my Shawlcowl Pullover last evening.

I love the way this little shawl - cowl works. It has the look of a small shawl, but it is knit in the round, so it wears like a cowl.

Not to mention this photo shows the true-blue of Jilly's gorgeous superwash merino.

Here's what the back looks like:

Very clever, no? I'll be watching designer Susan Elston on Ravelry for more of her patterns.

If you missed the story of this yarn, click back to yesterday's post. The Shawlcowl took only 45 grams of the Jilly dream yarn, so I have 70 grams left. It's really a sock yarn, and I don't knit socks anymore. Any ideas what I should do with the remaining 250+ yards of this gorgeous stuff?

Linking up to fo friday with Tami's Amis.

Younger Son aka My Little Sailor should be posting this year's Mother's Day greeting tomorrow. I'll be watching for it, will you?


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Finally it's Finished!

At Front Range Modern Quilt Guild last Saturday, I met a woman who said she had made not one, but five Dr. Who scarves. I didn't think the appropriate response was why? But why?

The DH and I never really watched Dr. Who regularly, but somehow we got hooked on it during a (bitterly) cold spell in December. Rumor has it that whoever is "The Doctor" when you start watching the show will forever be "The Doctor" for you. DH watched Dr. Who back when Tom Baker was The Doctor, hence . . .

I started this scarf for the DH's birthday before Christmas. It's only 50 stitches across, all in garter stitch. That is, knit every stitch. For twelve feet! That's 366 cm for you clever people who use metric!

I haven't added the fringe, and don't know if I will. It's not really a practical garment, being so long it has to be wrapped twice around the neck. I can just see this thing getting caught in an elevator door and making me a young widow!

I used the pattern from Witty Little Knitter, here. The yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash -- my thinking being that if there was yarn left over, I could use it for Hats for Sailors. 

(Image lifted from http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2013/09/doctor-who-at-50-fourth-doctor-1974-81.html)

Except for the beard, don't you think DH looks a lot like The Doctor?

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