Colorful Hooties Everywhere :)

Today is Saturday, and of course that means Rainbow Scrap Challenge link up day!

Meet the newest sibling in the Hootie family....

I traced and fused the pieces down for PURPLE Hootie yesterday - isn't he so cute???  I still have to stitch them down, but that's for another day.  Now that I have four of them, I decided to put them on the design wall just to see how they are going to play together....

Awwwww... they're adorable!!!!

The layout will have 3 Hooties each in 3 rows sitting on a brown branch (which is really just a sashing row of brown fabric).  That's when they will get their little feet.....

The bottom is left unfused so I can insert the feet when the blocks are sewn to the brown sashing....

... or is that claws?  Anyway, I'm sure PINK Hootie will be happy about that, because she seems to be a little worried about not having any feet, don't you think?

I also put up  my Fantasia blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last year to try to figure out how I want to set them together .....

Honestly, right now I have no idea!!!  But this is my Guild Challenge project for April, so I'd better come up with some ideas soon :*)

Be sure to go over to Angela's Rainbow Scrap Challenge to see all the other PURPLE projects in process... hmmmm, say THAT three times real fast LOL!!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Like a Little Kid with a New Toy!

I've got a new bag of "potato chips" to share with you my friends!  These blocks are irresistible and YUMMY!

My very first Japanese x&+ block!!!

Yep, I just started a new can't-make-just-one-block project!!!  Honestly, I couldn't help it.... It's all Mary at Needled Mom's fault LOL!!!!  I was totally focused on getting a good chunk of my Diamonds are Forever blocks done this week, and feeling very virtuous :)  Head down, knocking out those blocks.... oh yeah!  I'm in the Zone!!!

Then suddenly, out of the blue - BAM!!!  

I got totally knocked off the tracks!  I was very innocently reading a few blogs the other day with my morning cup of tea as usual, when I pulled up Mary's blog post and saw her AMAZING Japanese x&+ quilt ....

Photo courtesy of Needled Mom

INSTANT LOVE!!!

You can read more about Mary's quilt HERE.

Oh my gosh!!!  I could look at this quilt all day and not get tired of it!  Look at all that scrappy goodness :)  Bright colors everywhere - it's just awesome!!!  Mary joined a Japanese x&+ group swap - what a great way to get so much variety!  My first thought was, "I want one!!!"

I must admit that I've fallen in love with every Japanese x&+ quilt I've seen - something about this pattern really appeals to me.   The first one I saw was made by Carol Muse Skinner, and she used all Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  You can see it HERE at her blog, Postcards from Panama.  Seriously - go see it now!  You'll be glad you did!  Friends, it just about made my eyeballs pop out it was SO beautiful!!!!  I decided then that I really wanted to make one for myself, but I got sidetracked, and before long I had forgotten it.

Then a few weeks ago, the bug bit again when I saw Carla's in progress - you can read about her quilt's journey at her blog Grace and Favor HERE....

Photo courtesy of Grace and Favor

.................. Oh!  I wanted every single one of those blocks!  Yes, my friends, I coveted them!!!  Teals and grays and limes - Oooo-la-la!!!!  Carla did a swap with her friend Cindy to build up the scrappiness of their blocks - great idea right?  She encouraged me to get started on a Jx&+ of my own, maybe even start a swap, but there was too much going on in my life right then and again I let the idea slide.  I did however Pin a tutorial on how to make the blocks from Badskirt blog :)

Then I saw Mary's quilt and the longing returned, full force!  When I commented on how beautiful her quilt is, she replied with lots of encouragement to start my own.  And when I said, "I really want to - maybe I'll do some color planning today ...."  she came right back with, "I'm holding you to it!"  And even offered to make up a few and send them to me to get me started... Wow - Mary is clearly a gifted Encourager!  How could I resist that???

Now you all know how I get when I start thinking in terms of color, right?  It's like offering a dog a steak bone!  It's all I can think of.  There's a reason they call it "stash" - as in "addiction"!  Once I started thinking about what colors I'd like to play with in this quilt, I was off and running - there was no stopping me!

Hot pinks!

Hot oranges and yellows!

With Blacks and Whites to frame them....

I had to wash my orange and yellow stash before I could do anything, and a good part of yesterday was spent washing the rest of my black/white fabrics.  I couldn't resist putting together block combos as soon as they came out of the dryer!  They are truly just as irresistible as a fresh bag of chips!!!

And now there are Four!!!

Between this new project and the Diamonds are Forever blocks, I think I'm in heaven :*)
Thanks to Mary and Carla, I'm well on my way to having my own Japanese x&+ quilt!!!
I'm kinda glad you can't see me doing the Happy Dance right now :*)

I bet you want to start your own now, too, don't you?  LOL!!!

And for an added bonus, this is my NewFO Challenge project for April

I just love checking things off the To Do List so early in the month =^..^=

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Design Wall Monday - 4/8/14

Yes, I'm a day late, but I have several exciting-to-me projects currently in the works....

These Diamonds are Forever blocks are just too much fun to let them sit idle for too long!  They're like potato chips - I can't resist dipping my hand into those luscious strips and starting just one more block.... and then just one more.... well, maybe just one more LOL!!!

I love all these wonderful colors and playing in the scrappy strips - and don't these lime pieces look like a row of ties?  LOL!!!  Yes, late last night I was getting a little loopy and in need of sleep :*)  You can see by the number of "ties" that I still have quite a few blocks to go on this project, so you'll be seeing it again - just thought I'd warn you!

I also spent a very relaxing and enjoyable couple of hours this weekend preparing the applique pieces for my last vase in The Blue Collection.

My tools of the trade for Starch Applique preparation

Edit - One friend just pointed out that she found it amazing that diced pimentos would be part of my applique tools LOL!!!!!  Of course, that's just the jar that I keep the liquid starch in for traveling :*)

This is the vase that holds the center tree, and I totally love this piece of Jenny Beyer border fabric I found for it!  There is only a fat quarter of it, so I have had to be very careful about cutting it.  There are a lot of pieces to this block, and of course those angles are already threatening to give me headaches.  Looks like I'm going to have to re-cut the bottom right piece because it is not lining up :( 

The Blue Collection is one of those dreaded Dinosaur UFO's that I really, really, really want to get done this year!!!  Once this block is done, I will have the outer border applique remaining, with about a million leaves (see below picture of the original by Maggie Walker), but most of those are going to be done with raw edge fusible.  I'm sorry but I'm just not crazy enough to sew all of those leaves down by hand!!!  And there is still the motif block at the center top that needs to be completed as well.  But I'm beginning to smell a finish here and it feels GREAT!!!!

This is the Designer, Maggie Walker's quilt.....

Courtesy of Maggie Walker

The number pulled for my Guild UFO this month is #7 - which is to assemble my Fantasia blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last year into a top for the contest at our next meeting.  Ugh!  I have no idea how I want to set those blocks!  At least I DO have all of them done, which gives me a great shot at maybe meeting that goal.  Here's the RED block for reference :)




The May Bertie's Year BOM block should arrive this week and I'm looking forward to playing with her - we're quickly becoming very good friends.

And that's about it for me.  What is on your Design Wall?  Some see all the pretties at Judy's Patchwork Times today!  Also linking up with Connie's Linky Tuesday party!  Hey, wait a minute.... that MY Cottontail bunny she's featuring today!!!!  Yippee :*)

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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It's a PURPLE-y Kind of Month!

PURPLE is our color for April's Rainbow Scrap Challenge ... and of course I'm delighted!   It's one of those really delicious jewel colors that just trips my trigger! =^..^=

And I think it makes a really delicious Soul Searching block too, don't you????

From the deep dark PURPLES.....

To the more red VIOLETS......

They are all yummy to me!  

And I especially like them all mixed up scrappy-style to add sparkle!

Auditioning for the Soul Searching block :)

My task of washing up my stash for the RSC color was made much easier this month because I had already washed many of my PURPLE fabrics for the recent Diamonds are Forever workshop at Guild -

I sewed up a few of these fun blocks last night just because I love seeing these colors play together so much!!!

What a lovely potpourri of strips!!!!

And while I had all the PURPLES out, I chose my fabrics for this month's Hootie block....

I'll let him shine in next week's RSC report :*)

And can it be a coincidence that my current socks project is PURPLE?

I think Angela is reading my mind! *grin*

Are you playing in PURPLES too?  

Please share at SoScrappy's RSC linky party HERE!

Or are you just enjoying some of the lovely PURPLE blooms that are bursting forth this spring?

Courtesy of Found and Sewn

Wishing you all a perfectly PURPLE kind of Sunday!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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On The Needles - 4-4-14

I'm making some good progress on the Swing Cowl.  It seems the designer is now calling it the Wavy Cowl, but it will always be the Swing Cowl to me :)  I think I am a little more than halfway done ....

Pardon the quality of this picture please!  That muddy "browny" color in the middle is actually a plum-purple.  I had hoped to take a good picture in the light this morning, but it is not so light here.... stormy and rainy and dark.  Just yesterday, Gypsy and I sat out on the side porch and enjoyed the lovely spring sunshine....

Ahhhhhhh....... There's a reason for that old expression, "Like a breath of fresh air!"  It is heavenly to have the warmth and sunshine back after the bitter cold of this past winter.  I know some of you still have cold temps and even snow - UGH!!!  I am glad to have my faithful friend to sit with me in the mornings again this spring.  This is one of our favorites things to do together!  I am sad to realize it will probably be her last considering the way her health has been failing this past year.  She'll be 18 in August, and she's had a wonderful life, so we really can't complain, can we?

I also got a good bit done on my current pair of socks while at Guild this week...

It always makes me smile to think about how much the first stage of these two-at-a-time socks on the magic loop look like knitted bra cups LOL!!!!  I tried to start these at the same place in the color strata, but as you can see, they are each taking on a life of their own :*)  I don't mind at all - I think it makes them more beautiful!!!

Sharing with others who love to play with needles at Judy's Patchwork Times today!

Have a lovely weekend my friends!!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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March NewFO Challenge

I finally had the pleasure of starting a new project this past week.  It's a cute little spring pattern called Cottontail by Jeri Kelly....

This is a tabletop pattern to fit in the Ackfield stand frame, about 14" square.  I bought the pattern last spring with every intention of doing it right away, and ..... ah well .... *sigh* ..... didn't happen!  So I decided that this year I would have this little gem finished so I can enjoy his cute little bunny cheer this Spring!

I have all the pieces fused and began stitching them down last night....

I absolutely LOVE this green - doesn't it just scream of Spring????  I decided to just do a straight stitch on these narrow stems, and of course I got a little close on some of the edges :*)  But it's just a hanging tabletopper and it will look a lot better after I trim off all the little stick-out threads on the edges.  Of course, it doesn't look bad at all unless you're looking at it magnified like this picture LOL!!!  I can't decide whether to do that or a buttonhole stitch on the blooms.... what do you think?  Maybe even a free-motion edge around them?  I'm hoping to try some interesting FMQ on the background of this one when it's time for quilting! :*)

I'm linking this project up with the NewFO Challenge for March over at Cat Patches here!

I also wanted to share my progress on a UFO from two years ago with you......

My Piecemakers guild enjoys year-long mystery quilt projects, and I used these pretty batik fabrics for our mystery in 2012 called Baubles and Beads.  I did pretty well keeping up with the clues each month for about six months and then got sidetracked - you know how that goes, don't you???  I picked it up occasionally and finished off most of the clues, but I still had to finish the last step in the alternate blocks and then assembling all the blocks together, which I accomplished at Quiltfest earlier this month.

It looks pretty sad just hanging there like that, doesn't it?  Poor thing really needs it's borders and a much better photographer!!!  Not to mention a nice spa visit with the iron and some Best Press LOL!!!

What are you working on today?  

Check out all the neat projects being shared at Patchwork Times today!!!
Also sharing at Connie's Tuesday Linky Party!!!!

Have a glorious week my friends!

I hope your weather is as beautiful as ours is today - YUM!!!!

Yes, I think Spring may finally be smiling on us :*)

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Hootie and Slow Stitching :)

With so little time at home this month, I haven't had much time to play in my AQUA scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  But I did want to be sure to get my Hootie owl block fused down and ready for stitching ....

Ain't he cute????

And here he is with his two siblings so far....

Hootie - Designed by Shayla Wolf
in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 7

I'm having fun positioning the eyes for each to be looking in different directions :*) These are just such fun, quick little blocks!

And since it's been a month since I showed it, here is my AQUA Soul Searching block once again ....

I'll be sorry to see my favorite color AQUA go, but it's always fun getting a new color from Angela on the first of each month.... wonder what our color will be for April???

One thing I did get to do a lot of while traveling was hand stitching!

I really got behind this month, so I took my Bertie's Year BOM blocks for March and April with me to retreat and sttiched on them while we watched Downton Abbey in the evenings.  Can you think of a better way to spend an evening?  Me neither!!!!  The March block got very little love early in the month, so the poor thing won't get to be displayed at all this year because it will be April before it is completely done.  But I did finally get it all stitched with the hand-stitching embellishments, and it is ready to be layered & quilted.

As always, I'm in love with the whimsical nature of these blocks!  Here Bertie is up to her curious ways again, making friends with her fellow creatures :*)  I wonder if she realizes that cute little bee is not as sweet and harmless as it looks LOL!!!

And I finished the stitching on April's Bertie block too!

Working the embellishments on these eggs was a lot of fun :*)  

And I love the bunny ears on Miss Bertie!!!

Each month, the blocks have a "border" stitch that frames the stitchery in the center.  This block called for a really fun stitch and I just love the playful look of it in the block - perfect mood for Spring!!!

I also finished up the latest Winter Wonderland stitchery block, but taking pictures of that at night is a lost cause.  I'll try to get one tomorrow if the sun comes out :*)

I'm linking up with SoScrappy's Rainbow Scrap Challenge 

and Kathy's Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday 

Come on over and see what all the fuss is about :*)

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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