CQJP2013 - Feb Block

My February block for the CQJP 2013 Journal Project (CQJP 2013).   My blocks will go into a lap quilt called Crazy Cravings and will be worked in mostly brown, blue, pink and cream/white - the colors of most of my cravings!

And since I will be working on my CQJP 2013 March block later today I'm linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.

Pink Fluff - A Fab Feb Finish?

I need to declare a project I want to finish in Feb for 

So, my goal is to finish (quilt and bind) my scrappy Pink Fluff quilt I sewed up from all my pink scraps during the Jan Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2013 - another donation quilt for Wrap-a-Smile. 

Here's the Pink Fluff flimsy 42 x 54

Lots of fun fabric scraps went into this top. 

I spy a bee, a cherry, a cupcake, some broccoli, paperclips, candy canes, grapes, a present and an eye. Who could believe so much could be contained in a tiny scrap? These were corners cut off another I Spy Snowball quilt I made one of my granddaughters about 5 years ago or so. I think each of these little hourglass squares is less than 2 inches. 

There are no quilt police here...I've found the perfect 100% cotton hot pink backing in my sheet stash and there will probably be enough left over for binding. 

I don't have a longarm...I quilt on plain Jane (DSM). Whenever I buy batting I try to buy Queen-size on sale. Then I zig-zag together the leftover pieces and use them in smaller quilts. I don't think you can see the zig zag in the photo but I guess it serves to show I'm ready to pin, quilt and bind for a Feb Finish.  In fact, I'm participating in a Super Bowl Sunday virtual sew-in with Sunshine Quilt Guild Yahoo Group Sunday and I think I'll work on it then.

Hugs and Kisses, Love!

I've finished several UFOs so far this year so I gave myself permission to start a new quilt. I love valentine fabrics. I love vintage valentines. And that's about as romantic as I get.

Black, White and One Other Color

Last year I participated in a 12 inch block swap. We each made blocks of our choice to swap using only black, white and one other color of our choice. I received 13 blocks and added 7 of my own for a 20 block quilt. The blocks have been sitting in a UFO pile so I dug them out and added sashing this weekend. I still need to add the same sashing to the top, bottom and sides but at least now the blocks are out of the UFO pile and almost in the flimsy pile. I think the black and white sashing really tied all of the blocks together.

To see what others are working on visit Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. There's sure a lot of talent and inspiration out there! 

Thimbles or Calluses? What to Use on Slow Stitching Sunday

Last week I had finished hand quilting the 9 patch part of a 9 Patch/Snowball Queen-sized quilt and was ready to start on the design in the snowballs.   But, since I still need practice on keeping stitches even and small I switched gears and started hand quilting in the ditch on another UFO - my Grandma's Sewing Room quilt. 

 I've found that I really like to use the plexiglass frame better than large wooden hoops I've tried in the past.

 I'm currently stitching in the ditch around the spools and jars with red Gutermann hand quilting thread. When I have finished that I will use DMC perle #8 red thread to stitch "thread" around and between spools. (At least that's what I have pictured in my mind is going to happen).  

It drives me nuts when I see a place where the points don't match evenly...but they are staying that way. I still need work keeping stitches even and small. Practice, practice, practice.

I'm still trying to get used to wearing a thimble so alternate between using a thimble and using a callus I've built up on my middle finger.  Reason for a thimble: it hurts when a needle pierces a callus but I don't feel a thing when I'm using a thimble. Reason for not wearing a thimble: it falls off, it's not comfortable, I don't use my fingers properly when stitching.   Again, practice, practice, practice! 

To see what other slow stitching is going on in blog land visit Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching linky party.   

Foofoo Flimsy or Pink Fluff?

Urban Dictionary:   Foofoo - adj. a word used to characterize something that is fancy, frilly, excessive, generally above and beyond the norm; overdone; girly; gay.



And, so, I call what I have accomplished with my pink scraps this month a FOO FLIMSY I need to round up some batting and a backing and get it quilted and then it will go to Wrap-A-Smile. 


As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of PINK. So, how does an anti-pinkie happen to have so many pink scraps?  At the age of 2 one of my granddaughters chose pink as her fav color and, at the age of 8, she still LOVES PINK.  I guess I've made a few things for her. And I sometimes participate in I Spy swaps where others must love pink too.

I have to thank the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for the courage to dig into my scrap boxes and bags so I'm linking up there. Please visit to see what others have done with their pink scraps. And, you may want to participate next month when the color changes! 

I Thought I Was Too Anal-Retentive to be Wonky!

I challenged myself this year to see how many donation quilts I could make from my boxes of scraps. So...from some light and dark strings I assembled 30- 9 inch wonky log cabin blocks into a "fields and furrows" layout.  For the 2013 Lovely Year of Finishes Challenge I made it my goal to finish up the quilt by the end of January for donation to Wrap-A-Smile. 

I am happy to say I have completed my goal. 

I had quite the variety of light and dark scraps! (My 3 year old grandson loves that eyeball fabric and I love the oreo and chocolate candy fabrics). 

I used the traditional red center in the blocks.

I quilted it on my plain Jane sewing machine with the feed dogs down and darning foot so quilting is wonky too. 

I zig-zagged together leftover batting and used a nice soft 100% cotton sheet from the thrift store. After quilting and washing it is crinkly soft.  The binding was Christmas fabric I don't think really looks like Christmas fabric. It was 70% off so the price was right. I thought it would complement the red centers and the dark and light.

This is quilt #4 finished from the scrap bag this year for Wrap-A-Smile, my 4th UFO finish (#53 of 73) so far this year and my 5th quilt finish for 2013. 

45x54. It's a wrap! 

I'm linking my finish to January: Lovely Year of Finishes Party  since I met my goal.

I'm also linking to Finish it up Friday since I've finished it up!