Only 70 More To Go !

I've just finished 15 more 5.5 inch Sister's Choice blocks. I've completed 218 blocks but need a total of 288 to make an 80x90 quilt (if my math is right).  I've used WOW for the background and various blue fabrics for the star points.  I participate in a 3 inch 9 patch swap with some ladies in a Yahoo Group so I have the 70 9-patches I need to complete my goal.   Then I just have to figure out what to do with the 9 patches I receive in the next swap!

To see what other folks have on their Design Walls this fine day visit Judy's Patchwork Times.

Crazy Cravings in September - Part II

 I'm a participant in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013. So far I've made 1 block each month. I've made 3 blocks this month for my Crazy Cravings lap quilt.  I want to have 20 blocks so need to step things up a bit if I want to finish a lap quilt in January 2014.    This is the second block for September. The first was blogged a couple of days ago and the third will be blogged within the next couple of days. 

Yummmmmm. Hot Chocolate.

On this seam I made stitched some buttonhole wheels in 2 strands DMC and outlined them in metallic gold chain stitches. I thought it kind of mimicked the gold outlines on the little pastries in the fabric. 

 One seam has fly stitches and on the other I used some pink trim and attached it in the loops with straight stitches on each side.

This seam has brown/white trim attached with pistil stitches and french knots in perle #8 and a yummy cupcake button. 

Feather stitch with lazy daisies done in 3 strands variegated DMC.

Buttonhole stitch topped with some stars.  I used one strand brown DMC and one strand of metallic together.

And finally I added some trim I picked up at the thrift store a long time ago. (Up close it looks like it might be falling apart). I attached with lazy daisy stitches and french knots.

And now I'm on my way out the door for a 4 hour trip to a wedding. My niece Genevieve and her groom will be getting a double four patch quilt from me as well as kitchen set consisting of a hotpad, crocheted dishcloth and embroidered dishtowel.

There's a Hole in the Barn Door

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Hole in the Barn Door

I used up some 6.5 inch squares I've accumulated over the years from various I Spy swaps. 

Quilted with spirals on my plain Jane DSM.

It will go to Wrap-a-Smile  which provides quilts for kids quilts for kids undergoing cleft lip/cleft palate surgery. 

Unfortunately I forgot to put Color Catchers in the laundry when I washed the quilt and some of the reds ran on to the back.  I have read some places that they can be re-washed with Color Catchers after it has run and sometimes the reds will come out.   I will have to see.

Linking up today to Confessions of a Fabric Addict...Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?    You may want to see what everyone else is Whooping about this week and Sarah is having a Giveaway. You won't know what it's all about if you don't visit her blog!

Crazy Cravings in September - Part I

I'm a participant in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013. So far I've made 1 block each month. I've made 3 blocks this month for my Crazy Cravings lap quilt.  I want to have 20 blocks so need to step things up a bit if I want to finish a lap quilt in January 2014.    This is the first block for September. The other two will follow in posts in the next couple of days. 

Start with a bowl of chocolates...

...on one seam stitch up a few bullion star chocolate candies...

 ...on another seam add a herringbone stitch in 3 strands of blue DMC and then in 3 strands of variegated pink DMC and below it add a little lace (actually I think it is hem binding) bordered by chain stitches and french knots.

This seam has some entwined feather stitches in brown and in white perle #8.   Inside the circles I kind of imitated the coffee beans and leaves in the fabric with some lazy daisy stitches and french knots. 

And finally I added buttonhole stitch on one seam and some leaves, lazy daisy and french knots on another seam.

QOV part II on the Design Wall

Yesterday, amidst the making/canning of spaghetti sauce and catsup I managed to make a 10 more 6 inch Twinkler blocks  with blue backgrounds for a QOV quilt.  I need 10 more blocks with blue backgrounds and 20 more with red backgrounds and I'll be ready for assembly. 

Quilt will alternate red and blue background Twinklers and have some Wonky Tall Stars (this month's Block Lotto block) for a top and bottom border.

I also used up some red and blue strings for 5 blocks for Alycia's Big Blowout Block Drive.   Add to that the 35 blue/yellow blocks I made for the drive and I'm up to a total of 40 blocks now! 

There's some gorgeous projects up on Design Walls linked up at Judy's Patchwork Times. Go visit!

Still Seeing Red

For this week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge (color red), I used red scraps for the background for Wonky Tall Stars - this month's Block Lotto block.   I've already made 9 blocks for the lotto. These will be used in a border for a Quilts of Valor quilt. 

And I finished some red (well, a couple of them aren't red) 3 inch spools.

I still have some larger red scraps left over and since there's still one more red Saturday in August I'll hopefully get those used up.

For ideas on what to do with your red scraps check out Scrap Happy Saturday at the SoScrappy blog. 

Oh My Stars !

Birthday Stars

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I finished quilting and binding my Birthday Stars.  I participated in a Birthday Block Swap last year and for my block I asked for any 12 inch star block in jewel tones on black background.  With only 12 stars I wanted a little large quilt so I added 5 inch sashings and in some spots I added little 5 inch stars I made as the cornerstones. 

 Since most of the blocks seemed to have some purple in them I used purple as the backing - (shhhhhh....it's a 100 % cotton sheet from the thrift store).   I had some variegated purple thread so used that in the bobbin and on the front...

 ...I used black thread.   I was a little leary about quilting in black in the lighter colors but I guess it looks okay now that it's finished.  I quilted on my DSM - no fancy machines here - in loops and stars. It's better that it's finished than sitting around as a UFO for several more years.

And, about those five inch stars....I thought I had enough of that swirly multi -colored jewel tones fabric for stars all around but I didn't.   So, stars are randomly placed here and there.

Getting this quilted and bound was my August goal for Lovely Year of Finishes. 

I'm going to go Whoop, Whoop it up now at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and then see what everyone else is Whoop, Whooping about. 

And, finally...a question...What color of thread would you have used on top?  I'm still not sure I like the black.  I need advice because I have another jewel tones on black UFO I hope to finish up soon.