WIP Wednesday

I'm bound for Quilt Colorado today and two days of modern quilt classes with Bill Kerr of Modern Quilt Studio. Full report on Sunday!

In the meanwhile, I've caught up on my swap blocks.

First up, the Adventure Swap for Front Range Modern Quilt Guild. My recipient this month asked for a Navy background (that's Kona Cotton) and light-to-medium blues and greens. These are from my (extensive) Denyse Schmidt stash:

Members of the 2013 Quiltmaker magazine Scrap Squad stay in touch via Facebook. We also decided to have a block swap among ourselves. Each month, one member selects a block to be made by the others in the group. I'm not usually this far behind, but here is Gina's block for June. She asked for "any star, with one of the fabrics a plaid." I tried out a new ruler to make this Peaky-and-Spike star:

Anne really got creative with her request. This is a free star pattern from McCall magazine. Anne asked that the center square represent "us." When the DH looked at this block, he exclaimed, "It's You! How did you get that fabric with your picture on it?"

July is half over, are you working on your 13 in 2014 UFO project? The first 30 BaD blocks should be finished by Sunday!

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Sunday Stash and De-Stash

Whee! I won a giveaway from Maureen Cracknell Handmade and the fabrics arrived this week! Maureen always has the best giveaways, she is my model for how to do a really great giveaway.

Here's what I won:

Yes! It's six fat quarters of "Wee Wander" by Sara Jane Studios for Michael Miller. The giveaway was sponsored by The Cloth Parcel, an etsy shop from Utah. You know I love a shop that has fabric I can't get anywhere else -- The Cloth Parcel is one of those shops!  Now, here's what's so great about this -- I've been eyeing this collection for a baby quilt for my niece and namesake. Not to rush or anything, Marthajane, but I have the fabric now! Anytime!

Stash

Because 2014 is now officially half over, it's time to start choosing patterns for the 2015 (!) Jelly Roll Party at Ruth's Stitchery.  Here are two patterns I ordered to test:

And:

Any ideas for jelly roll patterns will be gratefully entertained!

De-Stash

It's hard to believe, but this week's De-Stash is from 1997! The fabric is Northcott's "Plantation," designed by Bonnie Benn Stratton for Quilt for a Cure. The yellow rose fabric is "Through the Seasons" by Eleanor Burns for Benartex, and the light yellow has no printing on the selvedge.

De-Stash includes the Summer 1997 issue of "Quick Quilts" magazine, featuring "Rose Trellis," and the June 1997 issue of McCall's Quilting, featuring "Stars for a Cure."

I carefully weighed this de-stash to ensure it weighs less than 4 pounds. That way, I can mail  it overseas in a flat rate envelope for $25. I found out last week that mailing a medium flat rate box costs $65 to mail to England!

If you'd like to have this Quilt for a Cure kit, just comment on this post with your PayPal email address and zip code.  I'll bill you for the postage, and send the fabric to you as soon as your payment is received. Comments that don't include PayPal addresses or zip codes will not be eligible for the de-stash giveaway, sorry!

I have some new swap-blocks to show you on Wednesday. I hope you'll come back to admire them!


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Not-Knitting on Thursday

Thursdays are for knitting. But not for me this week. I burned my hand (and eyebrows and arm and nose!) while cooking this past weekend. 

So I can't knit, cut fabric, or run the long-arm machine. Lucky for me, the doc at the Urgent Care had lots of experience treating burns while in the Army -- so I'm hoping I'll be healed up before Quilt Colorado next week!

Cooking is dangerous!

I do have some yummy, scrummy new yarn to show you, though. My friend and yarn-enabler, Deb, the Dishcloth Diva, posted a photo of this yarn on her Facebook page:

I instantly texted her and said "I want some!" Sadly, (ha ha ha) she had already placed her order with Expression Fiber Arts. So I had to make my own order! Only amateurs pay for shipping, so I ordered three skeins to qualify for free shipping.

Here is the other worsted weight skein I ordered:

It's called "Stonewash Sky." Both these skeins will be knit up into Hats for Sailors.

The third skein went to Deb for socks. I miss knitting socks, but my sore wrist just doesn't allow that anymore.

(Photo from Expression Fiber Arts)

Chandi is hosting the biggest giveaway I've ever seen. $1500 worth of yarn, knitting accessories, and books! Go to her blog, here, to enter.

And if you win, promise you'll knit a Hat for a Sailor with any washable wool included in your prize.

Because Cooking is Dangerous, I haven't been able to knit my three-rows-per-day on the My Year in Temperature Scarf. You can still see how the temps have been soaring, though, just by the June-July sections:

Two 90+ days so far. I'm thankful I haven't needed to use my Salmon for 100+ degrees yet!

No finish this week, but I have taken photos for Sunday's De-Stash offer. Come back and see what's available for free!

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WIP Wednesday

My Little Sailor is coming home on leave in September! So there won't be an October Jelly Roll Party at Ruth's Stitchery.

Which means we'll do the October Jelly Roll quilt in September. Which further means it will be ready in plenty of time for Halloween Decorating!

Yes, the September JRP quilt is made with Moda's "Eerie."

The pattern is "Pirouette" by Daniela Stout at Cozy Quilts.

I love changing up the backgound from plain white or something pastel. I'm using deep purple "Grunge" as the background and bright orange "Grunge" as the accent.

What do you think?

New yarn tomorrow, come back to see what it is!

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Sunday De-stash

No new stash photos to share today but I have some stunning "inspiration" shots to show you!

Elder Son and I visited the Denver Botanic Gardens last week to view the Chihuly in Denver exhibit. Chihuly's glass in nature is simply stunning. I'm pleased with my photos; I thought they would be washed-out because the sun was so bright, Just see:

Blue Icicle Towers

  

Summer Sun

Turquoise Reeds and Marlins

Saffron Tower & Cattails

White Tower

Red Reeds

Blue & Purple Boat & Walla Wallas

Monet Pool Fiori

Can't you just see making a modern quilt inspired by some of these incredible works? 

 De-Stash

I'm sorry I can't measure out the fabric in this week's de-stash offer. But I promise there is more than enough to make an entire quilt!

This kit began as a "Buck-a-Block" project back before I realized I hate to sew with Thangles. There are directions for seven blocks, and a packet of Thangles.

It also includes plenty of fabric for background, sashing and borders.

 

And because there are only instructions for seven blocks, I'm including this pattern by Debbie Caffrey, "Garden Party," which uses the same size strips as the Thangles.

Would you like to have it?

Just comment below with your PayPal address and zip code. I'll send you a PayPal invoice for the postage ($12.35 in the US) and when payment is received, the kit will go in the mail to you!

It's been really fun seeing who wanted what from my de-stash. I have two more "kits" to give away, but I may find more!

I have something new on the design wall to show you on Wednesday. Come back and see!

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Jelly Roll Party: One Day Early

Because Friday is Independence Day in the States, we're having the July Jelly Roll Party at Ruth's Stitchery on Thursday this month.

I absolutely, positively love the way this quilt turned out!  The Fabric is Soho Chic by Sandy Gervais for Moda, the pattern is Galaxy by Cozy Quilts.

There was some discussion on Instagram as to whether I should use the brown print or the chartreuse print for the outside border. In the end, I chose the brown, because that's what the DH liked better.

I had lots of the chartreuse print, so I used it for the backing. Not quite enough for the entire back, so I added a strip of Moda "Citroen" at the top and bottom.

I quilted it with a "lazy loopy" design and of course, added a "My Aunt Martha Made It" label!

Happy Independence Day!


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WIP Wednesday: Summer "A Quilt Block a Day"

Summer arrived in Colorado this week, and disappeared today! Highs in the 90s Fahrenheit yesterday and Monday, highs in the low 70s today.

I know Summer is a busy time for many quilters. So for the "Quilt Block a Day" Facebook group, I chose a super easy block, Shoo-Fly. Here is a link to the post with the tutorial, and here is the Facebook link.

The advantage (disadvantage?) to being the group sponsor is, I have to finish my blocks to show you each week! I'm making one quilt from large (15" finished) blocks, using Liberty of London Lifestyle prints in assorted blues.

Here are the first nine blocks:

And here is a close-up, so you can see the prints:

I was lucky enough to find more of this fabric at Trelotta today to stash for the binding. For a full-bed sized quilt, I plan to make 30 blocks. Which means I will have the first Summer BaD quilt completed by the end of July!

Linking up to Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts.

And WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced Modern Quilts.

Tomorrow is Jelly Roll Party Day at Ruth's Stitchery. Come back to see what we'll be making!

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