QOV

I finally finished a presentation case (pillow case) to go with the Quilt of Valor flimsy I finished on New Year's Day. The patriotic pinwheels forms the cuff.

I'll be mailing both off to a longarmer asap.

More UFO Work

I participate in a 3 inch 9 patch swap several times a year with the Block_Swappers Yahoo Group. I've been slowly turning them into 5 inch Sister's Choice blocks. I now have 92 out of the 288 necessary for my quilt. I better get moving if I want to finish a quilt made of these any time soon.

Just a Few Minutes Each Day

Holiday vacations are over, ten hour work days are back. But I'm still finding a little time to sew each day. I'm working on 6 inch churn dashes in civil war fabrics for an upcoming swap. I'm hoping to swap 24 blocks - 2 sets of 6 negative and 2 sets of 6 positive and keep duplicates of same for myself.

It's Linky Party Tuesday at Freemotion by the River.

And, if you want to check out some projects using words check out the In Your Words Blog Hop. hosted by Linda at Buzzing and Bumbling.  My project is on the list to appear on Monday, Jan 14! I've had it finished since first week of Jan.

A Wonky Log Cabin UFO. Will It Be Finished in January?

I started this log cabin before Christmas from dark and light scraps.  It is #53 on my list of 73 UFOs. I needed more blocks so finished them up today and sewed them into a flimsy that I hope to have quilted by the end of the month.  It consists of 30- 9 inch blocks - 45x54. When finished it will go to Wrap-a-Smile or Wrap Them in Love. 

One of my challenges this year is to see how many donation quilts I can make from my boxes of scraps. Another challenge is to see how many of my 73 UFOs I can get finished. And after I do finish a UFO I give myself permission to start something new - but not before. 

Because it is a UFO I'm linking up to UFO Sunday at The Free Motion Quilting Project. I'm also declaring this as January's goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. 

"Crazy Basket Case" Update

I don't have the borders on yet but all the Crazy Basket Case blocks are sewn together. 

 This was the last block I finished- a basket of toys.

Now I'm going over all the joining seams with feather stitches...

...lots and lots of feather stitches. 

At this point it is 49 x 56. I have to figure out how to put it all together - backing, batting and top. I was going to discretely tie it but see a lot of quilt shows won't allow tied quilts. Mind you, I probably won't enter it in any quilt shows but, what if...? 

I'll figure something out. 

Crazy Cravings

I've finished a block for the CQJP 2013 Journal Project. It is one of what will be 20- 12 inch blocks for a lap quilt I'm calling Crazy Cravings. It will be mostly worked in aqua, pink, cream and browns and be full of all the fattening things I constantly crave. Cookies, cupcakes, specialty coffee is represented on this block.

Since the blocks need to be washable I won't be using any beads but I will be using buttons. I found these cute gingerbread boy buttons that feel kind of rubbery. Each block will have some sort of embroidery motif like my cqjp 2012 Crazy Basket Case lap quilt. I used purchased pink lace in upper left corner but I hope to crochet some lace edgings from some old patterns I have in my possession.

 Close up photo to show some of the seam treatments.
-The arched seam is just straight stitches. I used 2 strands of brown for middle arch and used antique gold for the outer arches because small cupcake fabric has gold in it. Bullions connect the arches.
-rick rack is stitched down with variegated silk thread chains, pistil stitches and lazy daisies.
-aqua/teal variegated double lazy daisy flowers with french knot centers
- herringbone seam stitched once in 3 strands of brown DMC and then again with 3 strands of tan DMC

And then there's the cookie. I cut a cookie motif from some fabric and appliqued it on to the block. I left a small space for stuffing with some left over batting and then stitched closed and further embellished.

I haven't forgotten about my CQJP 2012 lap quilt - Crazy Basket Case. It is still a WIP. I will post an update on that tomorrow (if I remember).

New Year Sew Alongs

Another Heartstring quilt for Wrap-a-Smile. This one has green centers and is boy themed with footballs, baseballs and eyeballs, bats, spiders and lizards. Hope it is not too scary for a little one. My 3 year old grandson loves all these things. 

 I free motion quilted it with more spirals. This completes UFO #50 out of 73.

Next up is a girly themed Heartstring with gray centers and it used up most of my pink and red fabrics. 

 It has kitties, bunnies, hearts and butterflies...

 ...ball and jacks and Strawberry Shortcake. I free motion quilted some four petaled posies.  This completes UFO #49 out of my list of 73.

Quilts of Valor was also hosting a sew a long for today. I completed a Happy Block top and ordered some Cardinal Red Kona for the back and presentation (pillow) case. Then I will request a longarmer.