Making Room

I'm signed up for Mystery Weekend #48. I'll be attending the October 22 and 23 session.

If you like good company and a good surprise, feel free to join me. There is still room available.

I selected my fabrics from my stash. I got the fabrics from two kits and a fat quarter bundle. The fabrics are from Amy Butler, Erin McMorris and Anna Maria Horner.

I think the fabrics go together really well, even if they are slightly feminine. Of course, I went into the shop and Debbie found me the perfect background.

I now have my cutting instructions and I'm not buying a new ArtBin to store this quilt, so I need to finish another project.

I've decided to finish up the contents of this ArtBin since it is almost done anyway. The fabrics might look familiar. They are from the kit for Tapestry.

I loved all the kits for the particular quilt, so I ended up with all three. I've made one already.

Three quilts from the same pattern is a bit of an overkill, so I got inventive. I'm making Sky Dancer with the fabrics.

Steve liked it because of the circles. Once I made the blocks he was disappointed to find out they were just fake circles.

At this point I have the center quilt blocks made and the border pieces. I need to still make the sashing pieces and the corner blocks. A cinch right?

I'd like to get it laid out this weekend. Wish me luck!

Start of a New Mystery

I've already filled up my empty ArtBin.

Tell me what you think?

This is going to be the Scrap Tamer's Mystery Quilt. We got cutting instructions at the last session.

The quilt will end up being 60"x66", a nice throw size. I'll be getting clues every month until May 2012.

Since it is a mystery, I won't be able to post pictures until after it is completed. Stay tuned!

I got the fabrics completely from stash. From mine and Cheri's. The fabrics came from over buying for an earlier project. I'll have to post pictures of it as well.

I still have lots more of these fabrics, so I need to find an additional project to use up the leftovers.

Suggestions?

End of the Mystery

I finished piecing my Mystery Weekend #47 Quilt. It has since been reveal to be named "Sew Many Stars", which is now available as a pattern. Very cute name!

When I was choosing my fabric, I cannibalized two separate Kaffe Fasset throw sized quilts to get the dark fabrics for this quilt. Very nice to use up stash.

I came into the shop with my fabrics and Debbie found the background, which is perfect.

I think the quilt turned out really well.

The larger print fabrics cut up really interestingly. This is Steve's favorite star. Love the dimensionality of the melon coming out of the quilt!

I now have one empty bin that I'm sure will soon be filled with a new project. I wonder what it will be?

A Little Flare

So I've got a question. Why have a round cheesecake when you can have a heart shaped one?

I made the treat today for quilt group. Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Carmel Swirl.

I already posted the recipe on here but thought the heart shape warranted a picture.



So along the lines of living life with a little flare, why have a plain quilt back when you can have a designer back?

This is going to be the back for my Halloween quilt. The quilt group suggested naming it "Trick and Treat".

And really, a fun quilt deserves a fun back.

One Weekend Later

I had a wonderful time at the retreat this weekend. Thanks to everyone in attendance.

I think I did pretty good.

I finished my Halloween All About Me quilt. I think it turned out well. I loved all my fabrics before I started sewing, but the frames added so much to the quilt.

I love it!

After I finished that quilt, I pulled out my Mystery Quilt and finished all the steps.

Now I'm ready to lay it out and sew it up.

I'm loving all the patterns and fabric. I think it is going to be bold and crazy.

Stay tuned for a picture of the finished quilt. I'm going to try to finish up sewing it together this week.

Retreat Bin

So first off, minor correction. I walked into my storage room and found a misplaced bin. I actually have 13 bins.

I am headed to a retreat at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center organized by Carol Wilder.

When I was getting ready for the retreat, I noticed I had an empty bin and decided it needed filling.

I like to be prepped and ready to sew, with a quilt all cut and ready to sew. In this case two.

I had a collection of Halloween fabric, and thought that All About Me by Atkinson Designs would be a nice way to show case the fabric.

The timing of the retreat is perfect, so if I make good progress the quilt will be done in time for the holiday.

The second quilt I cut out is Urban Cabin, also by Atkinson Designs. I used a Bali Pop and the soft green back ground. I'm kind of excited to see how it turns out.

Probably too much for the retreat but doesn't hurt to be prepared. I'll post pictures of my progress when I return.

Rental Fee

Luckily I got my machine back in time for my retreat this weekend. Thanks Gratz!

And thanks to Cheri for the week with your machine. I thought I would post what I did as a thank you.

I made her a Sylvia's Bridal Sampler block. If you are familiar with the blocks in the book, you won't recognize this one.

I pulled it from the Fancy That! quilt from Glad Creations. With a little math, I shrunk the block to 6". I think it turned out very nice.

I also made some paper piecing kits for her to put blocks together on her own.

Good luck Cheri!

One of 12

I have a confession. I'm addicted to Art Bins.

I now have 12 of them, each containing a UFO. Some with multiple projects.

I got so many bins because every time I started a new project and an empty one wasn't available, I got a new one.

All of them are in various stages of completion. My goal for this year, Sept 2011 to Aug 2012, is to empty the bins.

The first bin I'm introducing you to is the last Mystery Quilt from Glad Creations.

Before a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't worked on it since leaving class.

The nice thing about pulling out a Glad's quilt in progress, is that is like getting reacquainted with an old friend.

The bad thing is trying to figure out where you are. Right now I have my 16 Ohio stars and 48 sawtooth stars done. Now I need to go back to the first step.

60 Four-Patches.

My plan is for the next few postings is to open each bin and let you know what is inside. Stay tuned.

The Loaner

Last week, I handed over my Bernina to the Gratz Sewing for some much needed TLC. My top thread was looping on my bobbin side.

When you are without your machine, doesn't it feel like having your arm cut off?

Well, it went from bad to worse. I was trying to learn my 1/4" seam allowance on my new machine, and started switching feet. My needle position didn't like the foot.

The foot was plastic and the needle went all the way through the foot. Even after changing the needle, I had skipped stitches. Needless to say, I turned over that machine to Gratz as well.

Now, I would have been armless. Apparently two sewing machines is not enough for me.

Luckily, my best quilting buddy, Cheri loaned me her Bernina. My goal is to give it back to her in working order.

One Year and 4 Months Later

It has been a long while since I've posted anything to the blog, so I think it is about time I did.

I had been posting percentages of the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler blocks that I had done. Well, I stopped making them.

I got to applique, Y-seams and curves and called it quits. I still feel like I got a lot done. Just over 100 blocks.

I used a Glad Creations pattern, Homestead Stars as the pattern for my setting. I used 80 blocks for the quilt top.

I mixed it up a bit by adding a black batik with the jewel tones of the fabrics that I had used for my blocks.

It took some doing but I got scrappy diamonds of the same color to coordinate with the color of a sampler block.

The sampler blocks with lighter background are surrounded by a diamond of the dark batik. They also make a secondary pattern of Ohio Stars around the other diamonds.

My remaining 30 blocks ended up pieced into the back. I think it turned out well too.

I have a quilt date with Judy Remiger for the second half of October, so I'll post a picture of the quilting when I get it back.

It will be a part of the Sylvia's Club quilt show at Glad Creations in January 2012. See you there!