2015 Finish-Along Q3 List

Since this year seems determined to just barrel along with no thought to whether we might want to be in such a daggone hurry, I figure I'd better get my Q3 Finish-Along projects posted quickly!

As I posted HERE, I finished only 4 of my items listed for Q2 - and interestingly enough, I finished only 4 on my list in Q1 as well .... hmmmmm, hope that's not a pattern forming there!  Obviously I need to get my butt in gear apply myself a little more diligently this coming quarter!

*** Projects I'm carrying over from Q2 .....you can see pics and details on these HERE

#1 - Make two Bionic Gear Bags - I've actually made one of these, but it doesn't count since I didn't get the second one done :(
#2.     Repair faulty quilting and bind Montego Bay
#3.     Quilt and bind Whooooooo's Your Daddy?
#4.     Quilt and bind Amish Beauties

*** New items on the list! ........

#5.     Bind Strip Stacks quilt - class taken at Mountain Quiltfest taught by Klaudeen Hansen in 2013.  It's been raining here for days so a picture on the porch is the best I can do right now :*)

#6      Quilt and bind Flowercrackers!  This is the July project from Kim Schaefer's book, Calendar Quilts

I started this quilt in June of last year hoping to have it for 4th of July, but it didn't happen.  So I picked it back up last month and got it to the quilting phase earlier this week --- binding went on today and it will decorate my wall for the 4th this year - woohoo!!!!!  Post to follow soon :*)

#7      Complete the August project from Kim's book, which I call Show Me the Honey.  .....

This project only has the applique pieces traced onto fusible and the background squares cut.  Lots of work yet before this one is done!

#8      Bind Romancing the Paisleys - this was one of my first ever Mystery Quilts and might give you a fair idea of why I no longer participate in mysteries!

If you visit my blog often, then you know that I don't do soft and romantic.  I do like the fabrics in this quilt - aqua and paisleys are favorites of course - I just don't care for the way it all comes together .... it's just blah!!!  My total lack of love for this quilt is probably why it's been lounging around on a shelf in my studio just waiting to be bound since I quilted it in 2012.  Sheesh!!!  Time to get it outta here!

#9      Do something - not sure what yet - with these 3 orphan Heart Blocks!  I do have an idea but we'll see if it pans out before I share it :*)

So I think that will be enough to keep me focused and moving the old dinosaur projects out of my studio!  I've realized lately that having these older projects sitting around mocking me is like dynamite to my mojo.  I'm really glad to have the Finish-Along initiative to encourage me to continue getting them out of my hair.  What do you use to help you move those quilts from start to finish?

Wishing you all a lovely July !!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Design Wall Monday - 5/27/2013

I have two projects on the design wall currently.... one is about to come down and get sewn up into a top, and the other is just in the beginning stages.

First, I have pieced all the blocks for Strip Stax....

I love the colors in this quilt!  It's so hard to see the fabrics in an all-over shot like this, but here is a close-up of some of these fun warm fabrics shining out of that gorgeous blue background!  I have not yet completely decided how I will border it.

My next project start will be a baby quilt for our newest granddaughter, Genevieve Rose, who was born in March.

Since the gender had been a secret - even from the mommy & daddy! - I needed to wait until after she was born before we could pick a pattern for her quilt.  Nikki and I both pinned baby quilts we liked to my Pinterest board, and eventually she picked out her favorite one.

This is the quilt Nikki chose....

Denise of Count it *All* Joy made this oh-so-cute little quilt for her newest granddaughter June, and I loved it so much it was quickly added to the favorites on the Pinterest board.  Isn't it adorable?  Yep, I think so too!!!

Genevieve's nursery is done in Cranberry with whites and creams as neutrals.  Amazingly, since I rarely buy pastels or pinks, I had the perfect fabric on hand for the background....

I fell in love with these fabrics this past winter during a girl's trip to Franklin TN to all the quilt shops there.  The Bernina Shop had this print with a few coordinates, and for some reason it just spoke to me!  I picked it up and put it down a dozen times!  I kept saying, "But it's not my colors.  What would I ever use it for?"  I even left it there the first visit.  But when we went back about a month later, I caved and bought 1-1/2 yards of it.  I also bought this sweet pink "grow" text fabric to go with it - I just love text fabrics!!!

Now I'm absolutely delighted to be using to make our sweet baby girl a lovely quilt all her own :*)  See the words, "Life" and "Hope" and "Grow" in that pink piece?  Those are all the things I will be praying for our little girl as I make this quilt for her!

Out of my stash, I picked out these additional coordinating fabrics for the pennants....

with that deep cranberry in the upper right to bind it and give it some color punch.....

At the local Joann's shop, I found the perfect shade of cranberry yarn to work up her name in the string design!  I just love it when a plan comes together, don't you?!?  :*D

Denise was kind enough to share her pattern for the little pennants, so I am in the process of tracing off enough of them to make one pennant from each of the coordinating fabrics.

I'm using Heat n Bond Lite and will raw-edge appliqué them to the quilt.  I just have to decide whether I want to put on the string first, or stitch down the yarn "string" - I'll keep you posted on that !!!

Genevieve's Baby Quilt is my NewFO Challenge project for May!  I will link this up to Barbara's linky party as soon as she opens it up at the end of the month.   Be sure to go by and check out all the cool starts!



And don't miss all the fun projects on everyone's design walls today over at Patchwork Times!

And also linking up with....

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

NewFO Projects for March 2013

It's been a good month for starting new projects, and I'm linking up with Cat Patches' 2013 NewFO Challenge in the hopes of winning this really, really cute cat needle nanny that Smitty has talked Barbara into offering as the prize this month, plus a one-year subscription to McCalls Quilting magazine - whoohoo!  Now I ask you, doesn't that sound like the perfect prize for me???  Wish me luck, would you please?

=^..^=

My first start was Hudson's Heroes.  It is nearly complete except for stitching down the wheels and quilting/binding it.  I'm hoping to give this to my grandson next month, hence the hurry :*)

Then I started two new projects in classes I took at Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge this month.

Here is the first Tower One block I made in the class taught by Paula Nadelstern.  I haven't touched it since, but this block was so much fun, I know I'll be picking it back up soon :*)

And here is what I have done on the blocks for the second class, Strip Stacks....

Did you start anything new this month?  

Why not join in the fun? .......  Remember the great prizes!!!

Also linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings! Teresa =^..^=

Thankful Thursday

Today was the last day of our Music City Retreat at Camp Widjiwagan.  We all had so much fun!!!  But I have to admit, all that stitching pretty much wore me out!  I am THANKFUL to be home and looking forward to a lazy, relaxing day at home tomorrow :*D

One of my fellow retreaters napping yesterday afternoon - doesn't she look comfortable?  =^..^= 

And I'm very thankful that THIS....

..... was already on the floor when we arrived at retreat and not the outline of a fallen retreater LOL!!!  We never did find out how this got there - just maybe we were afraid to ask?

I am SO thankful for a beautiful spring day and the lovely sun showing its face for our enjoyment today here in Nashville!  The first few days of the week had what felt like the most frigid temperatures all winter long, so I am delighted that it is GONE!!!

However, it did give me a chance to wear my new Swishy Scarf that I finished up last week - once I managed to get it away from Gypsy that is LOL!!!  She sat in my lap most of the time I worked on this, so perhaps she thinks I made it for her =^..^=

I was afraid I would have to wait until next year to wear this bright beauty, so that's one more reason to be thankful :*)

Of course, I think this guy wears it much more elegantly than I ever could!

Of course, we are ALL very thankful that Daryl over at Patchouli Moon found the pattern for the Kitty Pincushion!

Yes, I had to show you the picture again - it's just TOO DARN CUTE!!!

The pattern is free too!  Click HERE for this pattern, designed and generously shared with us by Sue Daniel.  Now I can make one of these for my very own - and you can too!

So to celebrate so much to be thankful for, I'll leave you with a few more pictures from Camp Widjiwagan to inspire you!

We all agreed - one of our favorite finishes was Melissa's neutrals Rail Fence masterpiece!!!! 

And Joanne's UFO Stars from 2004 was a definite favorite!
This was the 2nd set of quilt blocks she sashed & put together into a top while at this retreat!

Phyl's Bunny Hill Snowmen make me wish for a nice cup of Hot Chocolate!!!

And who wouldn't love her Christmas Mouse applique quilt?  Hand applique my friends!!!

Don't you just love this mouse fabric for the backing?  It's perfect!!!

Nancy was only able to come join us for one day.....
.... and she stunned us with her colorful Eldon Stars - look at all those stars!!!

Anne worked on her beautiful fabrics she picked up in France - oo-la-la!!!

This was Debi's first retreat with us - and we certainly hope not her last!
Don't you love these wonderful batik stars????  Oh my!!!

Susie channeled her inner fashion design diva with these appliqued swirls on a knit dress =^..^=

Charlie is learning to like Civil War prints - definitely out of the box for her!

Brenda was overjoyed to finally finish up this fun blue/white snowball project!

Belinda worked on her McKenna Ryan applique project.  She had several others done but I wasn't
quick enough with the camera - she took them home before I could get a picture :(

This is Becky's gorgeous Christmas Poinsettia quilt - only two more borders to go!

There were a few others that I missed getting photos of - bad girl!!!!  I apologize to my friends who did not get included here - it is certainly not because your work was not beautiful, because it was!!!

As for myself, other than finishing the top for Hudson's Heroes, which I showed you HERE, I also managed to get 11 of my Strip Stacks blocks done.....

And I got caught up on all the clues for the Baubles and Beads mystery quilt.....

I just LOVE these batiks - YUM!!!  Can't wait to see how the mystery will turn out :*D

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you all have had much to be Thankful for this Thursday!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

On My Design Wall.... 3-25-2013

I took two classes at Mountain Quiltfest which, of course, means I started two new projects :*D

When I walked up to my first class, I saw this sign on the wall over the ironing stations.... 

.... what in the world?  Do people really try to iron on walls???  Apparently the wall paper was some sort of plastic, and someone really had melted it with an iron in the past.  Go figure!!!

My first class was with Klaudeen Hansen, AQS author and editor of the ever popular Quilt Art Engagement Calendar.  As her picture may suggest, she was very bubbly and happy and a joy to meet.  Her half-day class was a quilt project called "Fall Strip Stacks" - this was her quilt sample:

Quilt sample made by Klaudeen Hansen

One of the reasons I chose her class was because it seemed like a simple design that I could finish up pretty quickly - I have enough UFO's already!!!  (I know none of you have that problem, right?)

Another reason to take this class was that I didn't have to purchase any fabric for it - NOT EVEN A FAT QUARTER!!!  I had a lot of this cool blue batik that I had purchased for another project several years ago which did not work out...

And then I had a lot of 2-1/2" strip pieces in warm oranges, yellows, and reds left over from my Runaway to Bali.  Here is a closeup of some of these yummy batiks.....

I managed to get 3 blocks completed in class and then left a little early.  

This is a really fun quilt that I will enjoy playing with :*)

My second class was all day Saturday, the last day we were there.  I was lucky enough to find a cancellation for one of Paula Nadelstern's classes a few days before the show.  Paula is queen of the kaleidoscope block!  I will share more about her and the class in another post, but for today, let me just show you the fabulous fabric Paula designed and the amazing block I made from it that is currently on my Design Wall.

Dragon Feathers - Orange & Turquoise colorway

This amazing fabric comes in several colorways, but this particular colorway is the fabric she used for her quilt, so she brought some of it with her for us to purchase.  I signed up so late that I had no chance to look for other colorways online beforehand, so even though these colors were not my first choice I was happy to have some of it.  After playing with it for a while, I found that the colors really grew on me.  However, I must confess - I did go to the Cotton Club site and bought some of the green/blue colorway after I got home *sheepish grin*  One girl was working with the olive/pink colorway - oh my, you should see that fabric in person!!!  I would have bought some of that too but it was sold out! :*D

At first I wasn't crazy about this border fabric either, but wait until you see what it does for the block .... at the end of class I grabbed this up in the blue and hot pink colorways as well.

Scribbles - Black & White

For my class block, I focused on just this particular section of the Dragon Feathers fabric to cut my kaleidoscope sections ....

And here is my block....

Wow!!!  I love it!!!

And yes, I only finished one block in class :*)

Do you see how that border fabric echoes the lines of the inner designs?  What movement and interest!!!  Of course, each block will be different.  Paula's quilt has 12 blocks, but I may only do 6 for a smaller wall hanging.  I really haven't decided for sure yet.  This is a very intricate block, and very time consuming, but it was so much fun playing with the templates to see how to get the most exciting designs from the kaleidoscope effect.  I am going to enjoy working on this one!!!

As I said, look for a more detailed post on Paula, the class, and her fabrics later in the week =^..^=

Be sure to go to Patchwork Times to see all the amazing Design Walls!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=