Design Wall Monday: The Ugly Christ Sweater QAL

There's a story behind this quilt. Isn't there always?

A long-time friend hosts a cookie exchange each December. And she usually has an "ugly Christmas sweater" contest -- who can find the ugliest of the ugly Christmas sweaters? I've won several times! [And the prize is always a bottle of something delish!]

So when I saw Lorna's "Ugly Christmas Sweater QAL" on her blog, Sew Fresh Quilts, I knew I had to make this quilt!

I have 16 of the 20 blocks made:

This is my favorite block:

I love the way the birds show up in the background.

I cut out all the pieces before I went on vacation last month. That is the way to get a quilt pieced quickly -- I just started making the blocks last week, and I should have all 20 finished by tonight! These blocks are addictive, it's just so fun to see how each will turn out!

Lorna used a wide-long three-step zig zag to quilt her quilt. I've been trying to visualize how to do that as a "quilt as you go" method. I think I'll piece each row together, quilt them, then join the rows. I used this method for "Strip to Shore" awhile back, and it turned out very nice.

What's on your design wall today?



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WIP Wednesday: Park Bench BOM

I know, I know. I swore off Blocks of the Month for this year!

But Beth offered to teach Julie Herman's "Park Bench," and I already had the kit (bought it in Laramie last March) and well . . .

I have half the blocks finished!

Can you spy my mistake?

The block in the lower right is supposed to look like the one in the upper left. But by the time I realized I was putting it together wrong, I was past the point of no return! Luckily, one of the later blocks uses the same pieces. So I'll make it like the one in the upper left and no one will know the difference. Right?

Here's what the completed quilt will  look like:

(photo from Jaybird Quilts)

I'm using the same fabrics as Jaybird Quilts used for the cover quilt. They are "Botanics" by Carolyn Friedlander. I even scored enough "Curry" print used for the binding to back the quilt (at Ruth's Stitchery, of course!)

The QAL is supposed to last until the end of the year. HOWever (cough) Sonya is hosting Julie's newest BOM, "Sweet Tooth" this summer. So I want to finish up Park Bench ASAP so I can sew along with Sonya on Sweet Tooth!

(photo from Jaybird Quilts)

I am a big fan of Julie's patterns. Using her Hex n More and Sidekick rulers, there are no Y-seams in this fancy-looking quilt! Plus, her directions are super-clear and easy to follow. (OK, that is, is you actually follow the directions.)

Are you sewing a BOM this year? What is it? Share! Share!

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Design Wall Monday: Little House Mystery

I'm a sucker for mystery quilts. I love stitching a little bit at a time -- and Ebony Love of LoveBug Studios is a talented mystery designer!

Ebony's most recent mystery celebrates a favorite book series from my childhood, the "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The story of Laura, her Pa and Ma, sister Mary and baby Carrie -- I loved them all!

Ruth's Stitchery carries the entire line of Andover's "Little House" fabrics. So I was delighted when my boss agreed I could stitch this quilt as a shop sample. I chose the "Dear Ma" colorway, because it's a bit brighter than the "Dear Pa" choice. (Thanks for cutting all the yardage, Yvonne!)  The best part about it being a sample is, I didn't dare fall behind! In fact, I was eagerly waiting the "quilt layout" clue yesterday morning. I had this much finished yesterday afternoon:

And this much before bedtime:

When I arranged the "orange peel" blocks and flying birds, I realized the center four flying bird blocks should have been those with the off-white backgrounds. But I wasn't about to take it apart! So I placed two white-background-flying birds on the top and bottom rows, and I'm satisfied with this layout.

This morning, Ebony sent a frantic "correction" email. The center four flying birds blocks should be those with the solid background.  Too late for me, I'm not changing it now!

Here is the layout of all the block sewn so far. There must be some borders, because so far the quilt top is 71½" square, and the pattern calls for the completed quilt to be 99" square.

Almost too big for my design wall!

I'm on the list for Cornelia to quilt it. I asked her to use the "Baptist Fan quilting design. I think that will be appropriate for this "prairie style" fabric, don't you?

What's on your design wall today?


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WIP Wednesday: Little House on the Prairie QAL

I'm a bit behind on my Little House mystery quilt. Blame it on the weather -- one of the AccuQuilt Go! dies I needed was in a truck stuck in a snowstorm in Wyoming!

The customer service lady at AccuQuilt was great, though. She "released" the remainder of my order, so I could finish this block.

My "birds in flight" blocks aren't quilt 6½" square, so I'm not sewing the big block together until I figure out where I went wrong!

What's in process in your sewing room?


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Sunday Stash: Michael Miller Cotton Couture

Sometimes, you come across a fabric that you just fall in love with.

Michael Miller's "Cotton Couture" is that fabric for me. It's "high density" (think super-expensive Egyptian cotton sheets, only softer and finer) with a "hand" that is like, well -- buttah. Almost too yummy for quilts, it makes me want to make summer blouses!

And Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts is hosting a QAL using these beautiful colors of Cotton Couture:

The Quilt-Along is called "Ugly Christmas Sweaters." 

My friend, Joy, hosts a cookie exchange every year. At the exchange, she also has an "ugly Christmas sweater" contest. I have won more than once (one year I wore a felt tree skirt, and yes, I won the contest). So when I saw Lorna's quilt, I knew I had to make it for Joy!

Ruth's Stitchery ordered all the colors of Cotton Couture needed for the quilt, as well as this adorable foxy print, Sweater Weather, for the back ground. The red print is Festive Nest for the backing. (Lorna used white Festive Nest for the background and Sweater Weather for the backing. But I love the foxes, so they are my background!)

I'm working on deadline to make a wedding quilt, but I stopped in the middle to make the first block:

Isn't it cute? I can't wait to make more blocks! 

Lorna is releasing instructions for each block every few days, go here to join. Or if you're impatient, like me, you can order the complete pattern in PDF format.

Now, back to the wedding quilt!


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WIP Wednesday: The Plan Unfolds

Hmm, my last post outlined my "plan" for 2016. So far, I'm keeping up with the Blocks of the Month -- but then, it's only January!

I swore to myself I would only join one "block party" at Ruth's Stitchery this year.

The one I chose is "Park Bench." Pattern from Jaybird Quilts, and the fabric I'm using is "Botanics" by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman. I bought the kit last winter in Laramie at Quilt Essentials when I was in Wyoming for the Downton Abbey Retreat with Around the Block Quilts. Julie Herman's directions are so clear, the blocks go together in a snap!

Today is the 30th day of winter -- how are your 9-patch "A Quilt Block a Day" blocks coming along? You should have 30 made today! I have them on the design wall to inspire me to stitch a 9-patch every day.

They won't be sewn together in this arrangement (I have a secret plan for them!) but it's fun to see the rows grow day-by-day.

The best-laid resolutions -- when I read that Ebony of LoveBug Studios was hosting a "Dear Laura" QAL, I caved. The mystery quilt features the "Little House on the Prairie" fabrics from Andover (I bought mine at Ruth's Stitchery, of course -- they have the complete collection). Since it's a mystery, I'm only showing you the corners of the blocks!

It's not too late to join the mystery, go here for details.

Today is a "stay in the house and sew" kind of day, so I'm working on my January UFO. It's "Vintage Memories," a BoM from several years (!) ago.

How is your Jaunary UFO progressing? Remember to email me a photo of your finish for the February 1 UFO Parade!



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WIP Wednesday: Friends & Companions

Yes, I was sucked into another QAL. This one is from Marcus Brothers, celebrating their new line by Paula Barnes,"Companions."

I'm using bits and pieces from my own Civil War Repros stash.

Because I dropped everything to do a test-sew, I'm behind by one week. The instructions are excellent, though, so I should be caught up this weekend.  Here are my first two blocks:

The top block is "Union Forever," by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts.

On the bottom is Paula Barnes' block, from Red Crinoline Quilts, instructions here.

New blocks are added each Friday. I'm planning a Skype-along with my friend in Ohio for the next blocks. Click on the Friends & Companions banner, above, for the schedule of designs.

I'll have a Quilt Block a Day finish to show you on Friday!

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Scrap Basket Sunday

It's been awhile since I've dug through the scrap boxes on a Sunday.

Thanks to Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville, I spent an enjoyable afternoon digging through my scraps today looking for fabrics for Bonnie's next mystery quilt! Each autumn, Bonnie hosts a Mystery QAL  on her blog. I swore to myself I wouldn't start this year's scrappy mystery, as I have yet to complete last year's "Easy Street."

That was fine, until I saw the colors Bonnie has selected for this year!  All my favorites! Orange, yellow, green and blue. She's calling the quilt "Celtic Solstice."  Here are my fabrics for this project:

I think I was the first person at my local Lowe's picking through the Olympic paint chips. Here is Bonnie's photo of the paint chips:

Not surprisingly, I had enough of the blues and greens that I didn't need to buy any extra.

But I was short on orange, and I'm still not sure these are the best match to the color cards:

Bonnie recommends "shirtings" for the background. Hooray, I will have to shop for more of those!

Linking up to Kim's Big Quilting Adventure Scrap Basket Sunday.

The first clue for Celtic Solstice goes "live" on Friday, November 29. Good thing I don't shop that day, because I'll be busy cutting and sewing my "Celtic Solstice!"

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One Block Wonder WIP Wednesday

The wonder is, why did I wait so long to make this quilt? 

One Block Wonder is the most fun I've had quilting in a long, long time! "Newbie Jen" at Quilter in the Closet has been sponsoring a One Block Wonder QAL. Last fall at Cindy's retreat in Cascade, Idaho my tablemate was making this quilt using this fabric:

I fell in love with her quilt, and because I had to race down to the airport in Boise to pick up My Little Sailor, I stopped off at Quilt Expressions in Garden City and bought all they had left of the fabric.

And the book:

When Jen announced the QAL, I dug out the fabric and the book and started cutting:

I made a few kaleidoscopes and put them up on the design wall to admire. This is going to be fun!

Finally, this week I finished making the rest of the blocks and spent an afternoon arranging them on the design wall in my new upstairs sewing room (with the really, really BIG design wall!):

Arranging the hexies is addictive!

Wait a minute, isn't that a little off center?

Better!

Of course, this quilt must be sewn together in ROWS, and you know I hate to sew row after row together. But this is one that cannot be taken down from the design wall, so it will be finished before I can start anything else!

Linking up to Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River:

and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Friday is the October UFO Parade. Send me a message with a photo of your October finish by midnight tomorrow night to be included in the parade!

From the desk of your

WIP Wednesday: One Block Wonder

Why, oh why did I wait so long to begin this quilt? I thought it would be difficult! It's not, and wow, how fun it is turning out!

Jen at Quilter in the Closet is sponsoring a "One Block Wonder QAL."  I'm always a sucker for QALs (I think it's the accountability. I like keeping up so I can post my progress to the Flickr group!)

(image from Amazon.com)

One of the quilters at Cindy's quilt retreat last October was making this quilt from this fabric.

It's "Satsuki" from Robert Kaufman. Made in Japan! When I raced down to Boise to pick up My Little Sailor (home on emergency leave from his port call in Manila) I stopped off at Quilt Expressions and bought all they had left.

Fast forward to September, nearly one year later. When Jen announced the One Block wonder QAL, I dug out this fabric and my book. I was surprised how quickly the pieces went together. Thanks, Bonnie Hunter for the tip to store lots of pieces on a cookie sheet!

Here a just a few of my blocks on the design wall. I need to make 30 more before I really start designing the quilt. But who could resist seeing what it will look like?

I discovered Ruth's Stitchery here in the Springs has fabrics from this line, so I can choose a contrast color for the setting half-hexagons and borders. Orange? Blue? Cathy will have to help me decide!  Here is a link to my Flickr photostream, in case you want to see some more photos of this WIP.

I'll link up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced as soon as the link opens!

Quilt finish #45 for 2013 will be posted on Friday -- come back and see!

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Design Wall On-the-Road

I know, I know, I swore I wasn't going to take any more trips until my "big" trip in February. But when one's  BFF asks one to spend the week sewing at her "cabin" in the mountains, one does not quibble. One packs!

Here is what I am taking to sew on this week (one of several, of course!):

 

It's the "Brick Road SAL" from SunFlower Seeds. I started it with the sew along back in April, then got caught up in quilt retreat and quilt camp and magazine sewing and test-sewing bags, and well . . . you know how it goes!


The fabrics are the gorgeous Free Spirit Designer Solids from Amy's 2013 Sugar Block Club. I'm sewing my blocks from Bonnie & Camille's "Vintage Modern," because I don't want mine to look just like Amy's! So I have these lovelies to use for my Brick Road. The background will be the ubiquitous Kona Cotton in Ash. Or maybe charcoal. But not black!

I have blog posts written and scheduled for the rest of the week, so you won't even notice I'm gone. Except I won't be answering comments until the weekend -- no internet in the mountains! Wheee!




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