Truly Thankful it's Finished Friday

But first, thank you to everyone who wished My Little Sailor "Happy Birthday." I think once he got his computer problem solved, he had a good birthday!

Now I know you're accustomed to seeing a finished quilt, or at least a finished quilt top, on Fridays. This week, I have a tray full of cut squares to show you. The result of an entire day of cutting 2.5" squares and 3.5" squares -- and a very sore back!

Gee, it doesn't look like much from this angle! Maybe a close-up?

These are the squares for the very first Quilt Block a Day I'll be hosting on Facebook. Karen Snyder of AnnaLenaLand blog has offered a free tutorial for a different block each season for the past several years. She is retiring from the quilting business to enjoy her new part-time home in Sweden. And I am grabbing the baton to continue A Quilt Block a Day.

The theory behind B-a-D is this: "Don't have time to make a quilt? Surely, you can make one block each day!" We'll sew a single block each day during the Spring season. Then, when summer rolls around, we'll have enough blocks to make a nice full-sized bed quilt!

 If you belong to Facebook, go here to join the group. If you don't, not to worry. I'll be posting the tutorial right here on 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks on Tuesday.

Come back on Tuesday to see the tutorial and join in A Quilt Block a Day!


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On the Design Wall . . . and the Cutting Table

I spent most of yesterday cutting out the blocks for my Downton Abbey mystery quilt. Good thing, too, because my kit was missing one fabric! I'm not worried, because I know Michelle will make it good for me.

I'm going on retreat next weekend with the "Around the Block" quilters in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The theme is "Downton Abbey," and there will be an English tea Saturday afternoon. I'm taking only my DA mystery quilt, so I should return home with a finished top!

But first, today is the birthday of My Little Sailor, and 52 Quilts' co-editor. Happy Birthday, Jacob!

There are a few blocks on the design wall today. First, I made the next row in the Quilty Fun QAL at Ruth's Stitchery:

It's the "chubby chevrons" row. Pressing the "hatchet" or "chevron" blocks alternately toward the print and toward the background really makes sewing them together easier. Thanks for the tip, Beth!

Remember how I said I was not going to start another BOM program this year. Yeah. Well. Here are the first three blocks from Marti Michell's "5 is Fabulous" BOM:

Next are some "swap" goodies. I'm pretty sure the recipient doesn't read this blog, so I'm safe to share them with you!

This is a variation on the "Star of Bethlehem" block. The book instructions call for "wonky" points -- here is my first attempt:

I just can't do good wonky! I decided to go with the "flip and sew" method of star points, and I like this one a lot better:

The colors are inspired by Classic Modern Quilts from Kansas City Star Publications. I re-drafted it to make the block finish at 9" rather than 12".

Here is my entry for the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild's bag swap. The label and pattern are from Sweetwater's Label Crew:

And here is another swap block. I showed the Fox and the Houndstooth fabric just yesterday -- see, I DO cut it up and sew it, not just buy it and stash it!

I have something really cute to show you tomorrow for Tuesday Tool. But first, I have to paint my nails to match it!

From the desk of your

Saturday Stash and Giveaway Winner

Good thing fabric doesn't go bad, and Justin says, "It's OK to buy it just because you think it's pretty!" Smart kid, huh?

Maybe for Lent I should have given up buying "low volume" fabric. Now that I'm looking for it, I find it everywhere!

I made a test block with my "low volume" fabrics as background today. I think I'll make this block for my "Block a Day" challenge this Spring. No photo until March 18, when the Block a Day tutorial posts!

Here are some other goodies I added to the Stash this month. I fell in love with Robert Kaufman's "Fox and the Houndstooth" collection at Trelotta. This was clearly a "just because I like it" purchase -- but isn't that what Fat Quarters are for?

It's a good idea to always have one or two baby quilts on hand and ready for giving. Sarajane's "Wee Wander" is my favorite because it will work for a baby girl or a baby boy.

I won this cutie in a giveaway. It's by Cosmo Cricket for Moda, but I can't find the collection name. I think it will make a really cute bag, though!

One of my favorite etsy shops is FreshSqueezedFabrics. The best part is, I can send Randi a message and ask her to put together something good for me, and she always does! Won't this camera print make an excellent journal cover for My Little Sailor the photographer?

You know I can never resist a bargain bundle. And this stack of fat quarters from Pink Castle Fabrics has a lot of modern prints I don't already own, squeeee!

I won one of the first door prizes at the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild retreat last weekend. Which meant I got to choose my prize -- and of course, I chose the charm pack of Denyse Schmidt's new "Ansonia." DS generously provided several selections of her not-even-released-yet fabrics for the Guild to give away as door prizes. 

I'll be shopping for a fat quarter bundle of this collection, since lucky Megan won that!

I've told you about the newest shop in Colorado, Cotton Candy Quilt Shop in Loveland. Chrystal generously provided fat quarters for everyone! I don't know how she managed to sneak my favs into my swag bag:

About That Giveaway

A lot of followers commented on the post about the Block a Day Challenge. You'll have to wait until Tuesday, March 18 to find out what block we'll be sewing each day during Spring. I found this great book at Ruth's Stitchery for the giveaway. I think "25 Patchwork Quilt Blocks" is appropriate for this giveaway, don't you?

Mr. True chose:

Who was Ariana, who said:

Congratulations, Arianna! I've sent you an email asking for your postal address so I can get the book in the mail for you!

Tomorrow is Scrappy Sunday and I am determined to get the borders on my Celtic Solstice Mystery. What will you be working on?

From the desk of your

Friday Jelly Roll Finish

If I do say so myself, I think this quilt is stunning!

This is the March Jelly Roll Party project at Ruth's Stitchery. It's been hanging above the register and apparently has received a lot of comments.

I love the look of batiks on black. The pattern is from my new favorite designers, Sassafras Lane Designs. It's called Main Street. Here is the pattern cover photo:

Hard to believe it's the same pattern, isn't it? I used Moda's Xanadu Batiks and Hoffman Bali Batiks #1895. Kristy Wolf of Wolf Creek Quilting (and the pattern designer!) did the gorgeous quilting. I really wish you could see it in person, it is gorgeous!

Linking up to Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday, this week hosted in Perth, Australia by Serena at Sew Giving.

And also, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Next week this quilt will go off to Oregon to live with my great-nephew. I'm pretty sure he will like it!

From the desk of your

Thursdays are for Knitting

Have you had a laugh yet this morning? Maybe this will help.

As I sat in front of the TV watching "Dr. Who" (I know who Riversong is!) last evening, I heard a tremendous crash coming from the sewing room. I got up and investigated but didn't find the ironing board collapsed, or the pizza boxes of quilt projects fallen off the counter. I even looked under the wet bar to see if the empty storage bins were newly un-stacked. Not. So I gave up and went back to knitting.

I finished two cashmere merino hat for my great nieces. This morning I went into the "yarn room" (formerly My Little Sailor's darkroom, you move you lose, Jacob). And this is what I found:

The Devil Cat of Doom, Moussa Koussa, had pushed off the bins of superwash wool. You can see they are full, so they aren't lightweight. I only hope she wasn't searching out that snake that moved into my basement last Fall . . . !

The "My Year in Temperatures" scarf is taking shape! Here is what it looked like at the end of February:

A few "below zero" days resulted in a wide pink and purple swath early in the month. The stripes are starting to migrate into blue and even green now. It's supposed to be near 70 degrees F (that's 21 C) today. the sky is Colorado cerulean blue this morning and Pikes Peak is covered with snow -- that's the reason to live in Colorado! 

I bought a fun new book of quilt blocks yesterday at Ruth's Stitchery. It is a giveaway for someone who suggests a block for the Block a Day challenge on Facebook. Go to this post to comment for a chance to win!  

From the desk of your

WIP Wednesday: The Big Announcement

I am so excited about this that I keep waking up in the night, thinking "Oh, we could do that."

A quilter and fabric designer whom I have admired for years is "retiring" from the quilting business. If you follow Karen Snyder on Facebook or on her blog, Anna Lena Land, you know she has recently purchased a home in Sweden and wants to spend part of the year there. So she is handing off her "Block a Day" Facebook group -- to me!

Here's what Karen says to introduce the "Block a Day" concept:

Can't find time to make a quilt? How about a block each day! Every season I'll showcase a new block, post a tutorial on my blog (annalenaland.com) and try to give you lots of inspiration.

I've "known" Karen since my boys and I visited her shop in Washington back in the late 1990s. She designs 30s reproduction fabrics (and still has a very few on sale here) and quilts to go with them. I've made several quilts using her "Block a Day" method, such as:

Bowtie. And:

Hourglass. And:

Flying in Squares (Flying Geese). And:

Tesselating Crosses. And:

Streaks of Lightning (60 Degree Triangles). And:

Strings. And lastly:

The next Block a Day challenge will kick off on the Vernal Equinox, March 20 -- First Day of Spring! The tutorial will be here on 52 Quilts beginning March 18, so you'll have time to get your fabrics together before we start sewing. Join the Block a Day group on Facebook here, if you like. If you don't Facebook, no worries. All the details will also be here at 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks.

I'd love to know if you have a favorite block to suggest for a "Block a Day." Comment on this post by Saturday, March 8 for a chance to win a new book of quilt blocks!


From the desk of your

March UFO Parade Addendum

At the very last minute, I got to attend the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild's annual retreat. So a few March "finishes" didn't get into the parade on Saturday. I apologize to those quilters, and here are their wonderful quilts!

First up, wow! look at this beauty:

Debra reports, "While searching for some fabric I came across Windham Fabrics and they had a tab for Free Patterns. I browsed thru them and came across this pattern by Julie Hendricksen entitled "Miniatures". I loved it. I wanted to change it up a bit so I made my own design using Julie's pattern."

Debra B. has a gift for finishing complex, large quilts. I love this one specially, Deb (because it's pink!).

I feel bad that Joy in Nashville stayed up late to finish this quilt in time for the Parade, then I didn't get it posted! Isn't it lovely?

Here's what Joy says about this quilt:

"This is Winter's Story, a quilt I started for Christmas 2012, but didn't get it quilted before gift giving.  I had the best intentions to get it done for 2013, but 2014 will do. It is a combination of patchwork and appliqué.  Thanks for the encouragement to get it finished"

Joy, I hope you'll submit another finish next month and I promise you'll lead the parade!

Becky has been practicing her free-motion quilting this month. And she has three finishes to share!

First is this adorable wall hanging, called  "Be My Valentine" from the free pattern section at www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com so Becky says "I HAD to finish him in February."

 

To sharpen up her free-motion quilting skills, Becky quilted two baby quilts:

Look at the adorable stars she quilted:

Thank you all who submitted "finishes" for this month. I hope I haven't missed anyone, but if I have, please please shoot me an email with the photo of your own "finish" and I'll amend the addendum!

So many great quilts, I'll have to let the Random Number Generator choose a winner for this month's giveaway. I have a wonderful box of goodies from Quiltmaker Magazine's Scrap Squad to share!

Aaaannndd the winner is:

Oh, look, that's Donna for her "Cars" quilt.

Donna, you'll have to tell your grandson his quilt is a winner! And please send me your postal address so I can send you something yummy!

I have a very exciting announcement to make. Go here for a clue. And come back tomorrow to see what it is!

From the desk of your