Design Wall Monday

Finally something new on my design wall... more blocks for the Grandgirl wedding quilt.

 

 I'm quite organized this time...  Notice the box top "trays" from Costco?

More blocks not yet placed. (I think I made too many blue ones...)

More blocks cut, paired and ready to sew...

Next block to make.

 

 

I'm so happy to announce (what half of you already know) that I won the sign up giveaway for Hands 2 Help Quilt Challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and I just now ordered my fabric, from the sponsor, Fabric N Quilts. I'll show it off when it arrives. I'm so excited!

 

I also won a free paper piecing pattern from Janeen of Quilt Art Designs. She had a giveaway for her birthday. Isn't that a great way to celebrate? {I remember second grade when my Mom brought ice cream bars to school for the whole class room (first and second graders) on my birthday. It was a big surprise to me.} Anyway, I chose the lamb pattern, and I think I'll go back and buy the cute little sheep dog - (black and white) - he is that cute. Check out her Craftsy store to see what I'm talking about.

 

So since I won twice last week, I picked the numbers for the lottery tickets my hubby bought... I guess the third time isn't always the charm... no dice, we didn't win. Awww! but I am extremely happy about the other two wins, and when the fabric comes, you will be the first to see it.

 

Have a happy week,

Hugs,

Terri

Flimsy #2 for H2H

It's a Flimsy! A second flimsy for H2H. I'm good at getting to this point...(especially since I used blocks found in my stash!) the basting keeps me at bay... but not this time. The last few quilts I have pin basted, and that is lots more palatable than thread basting. (What's your favorite method?)

Here's the official portrait:

It isn't ironed yet, and I didn't stretch it out - thus the scalloped look at the bottom. Any ideas for quick quilting this one? I probably will just make diagonal lines through the blocks.

 

That's my Whoop Whoop! for this week. Come see me and other Whoop Whoops at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. She's having a giveaway today, too.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Terri

Grandgirl Wedding Gift Quilt Started

After changing my mind a dozen times - you know how tempting it is to see all these gorgeous quilts on the blogs and only have a couple of months to get this quilt started and finished... by June 15th or so. Here's what I finally got going.  It's a quilt I've been seeing lots of places. I think it has a nice "together we will face the world" theme... just right for a wedding, I think. Right now there are lots of blue and purple. I had blue already cut for the squares with wonky stars that I made for RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge), so those were easy to start off this quilt with. It takes 3 - 8" X 2.5" and  two 8" X 1.25". Easy sewing, but the cutting is killing my back.  Any suggestions for that?

and a close-up, of course.

Sorry it's so blurry. You will be seeing this quilt again (and again, I'd guess). I'm trying for a king size. Each block takes me 7 minutes, and I figured I need 257.... that's 30 hours of just sewing the blocks. I wonder if our recipients know how long a quilt takes to make. You know there is choosing fabrics, cutting fabrics, ironing, arranging blocks, sewing blocks together - then ironing again, sewing the backing together, ironing that, making the sandwich and basting, quilting and making the label, sewing on the label and then the binding... none of which is included in that afore mentioned 30 hours. (We are amazing, aren't we.) Especially when we do these things for folks we don't even know. Some quilts are for charity! (No less work.)  This one is for the oldest grandgirl... the first daughter of my daughter... you know that makes it special!

 

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A picture of one of my newest little ones...

...a lovely little oak that started up since I blogged last! (Acorns gathered at the park.) They really come on fast at first. Wish I was at my new residence... we'd plant this little guy out into the yard. (I'm still addicted to planting seeds and having plants all over the house. I do want to have our special Halloween at the next place, but I don't want to move too many plants... it's devastating when they don't make it.

 

It's Friday, so that means I'll link up to Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict. (See her button at

Can I get a Whoop! Whoop! on the side bar.) Come see me there, and link up your latest post.

 

Have a Whoop! Whoop! weekend

 

Hugs,

Terri

Happy Pi Day!

Hello Quilters,
It's Pi Day today, March 14th... just one of the wonderful things you can learn while reading blogs. No, I did not misspell. This is the circle circumference figuring Pi, not the yummy cherry or blueberry pie. (Hey, when is PIE day?)  It is a day we quilters should celebrate - I guess - but when did you ever use the formula C=2pi r?  I just go to the kitchen and find a cup, glass or plate that is near the size I want for my quilt. I'm not an engineer.  I don't need all that math, and now that I'm diabetic I can't eat the pie either.

So I've been changing my mind for the past few weeks - guess that proves I'm still female. (4 different quilts were on the docket.) I could have gotten a lot done on my Granddaughter's wedding quilt if I was more definitive. I guess I'm afraid to disappoint, and I want her to love it.  I decided to make a Good Night Irene quilt like some are making for one of the current quilt alongs. (Spoiler Alert! Ashleigh - if you want to be surprised, don't Click here to see the design. Mine will be a multicolored version.) I have started the cutting - OMG! what did I get myself into this time.

Really nothing new to report - no new photos. I'm cutting on GNI (see above) and sewing on an H2H. I've always got to start early, I'm such a procrastinator... I take way too long to get anything sewn. Here's a picture of the layout for the H2H quilt. (If you are a follower you seen this before.)

Since this was taken I've got the blocks all in rows, and 4 rows together... lots of corners to match, and since they are hand sewn blocks I pin the marked seam lines together and then sew by machine.  I guess that's why they were UFO blocks. Takes a lot longer. I do like to hand stitch, but NOT on a deadline.

 

Sew, cutting and pinning two plus quilts over the weekend, and through the months...

Hope you have a sew-filled weekend.

Hugs,

Terri

Coming soon to a blog you may know

Sunday - the one coming soon - March 16 is the start to Hand to Help - see the (square) button on the side. Sarah has the "rules" written up - go here to see - It's my favorite QAL.  There are sponsors and prizes, tutorials, and Linky parties are planned. This year there are 3 different charities waiting for donations!

Last year I made these 2 quilts to go to the Happy Chemo:

Jazzy Snowballs - 2013 entry for H2H Challenge

 

 

California Earth Tones - 2013 entry for H2H Challenge

 

I used two of my UFOs for the H2H Challenge. I'm not a fast worker, so this works out for me. This year I have two more UFOs that I'll finish for the H2H Challenge. It might be just the thing for your collection of UFOs. 

Hugs,

Terri

 

Only one seam all week!

Oh the horror! Last week my machine started making a grinding sound... I was confident it only needed oil and lubrication... I'd just cleaned it a day or two before, because of the noise.  Did it, and no relief!  So Monday I took it to my local fixit guys... 2 weeks before they can even get to it!!!!!!!!!!!  No loaners available either.  I started having withdrawals... So then I bought an interim at Wal-Mart. That might have been my first mistake.

It's a Singer Sew Mate. Even though I have had 2 other Singers there was quite a learning curve.  The threading, bobbin filling and installation were so different.  When I felt confident enough, I sewed the one seam. It was bunchy at the start, but we overcame that problem, and finished that seam.  Stitches looked good, so we loaded up the next seam with pins, and tried again... that was the second mistake. After that only bunchy happened. I must have the bobbin in wrong, or the threading wrong somewhere. Anyway it was time to fix supper...  I'll try again this morning.

(Notice my sewing buddy, my Hedwig? She keeps me company while I sew.   Do you have a sewing buddy to keep you sane?)

 

 

One bit of brightness through all this.... Some Swappy goodness from Val. (Check out her blog.) Thank you, Val.  Love the fab fabrics and the cute card, and the support for my swap! You're good folks.

 

Have a Fab(ric) Weekend!

 

Hugs,

Terri

 

New Grandgirl (pictures and everything)

 We went to visit on March 2---Sunday. Elaina was a month old (almost).  Here with her Mommy and big brother, Mason.  What a bright penny he is.

 And he is brave, too.

 

 

With his (scary) dog.

 

Another of the new lass.  She is likely to be my last grand. #9  Pretty, huh!

 

So now you know.

 

Hugs,

Terri

Does this ever happen to you?

Too many projects at once....

I had to lay these out on the floor. (There was no place on the design wall.)

 

 They are leftovers from two other quilts I've made... Why did I make over 100 extra blocks?  These are made up of three squares in the middle and 2 rectangles on the outsides of those 3 squares. Really easy. They are mostly blue or green with orange centers, except the orange ones with blue or green centers. I had to sew a couple of rows together right away, so I could get around it.

 I really love it, so it's going to H2H this year. (Last year I used some of these blocks for a quilt for H2H as well.)

Still nothing new here,

 or there. (below)

These 10" pieces are on their way to Val... Hope they help you think Spring.

Thanks for joining in on my Spring Swap!

Happy Weekend Friends!

 

Hugs,

Terri