Hot, Hot, Hot....

And I am not just talking about this

HOT pink quilt top I finished yesterday.

Summer has arrived!

When it's close to 100 degrees outside,

I'm going to be found inside... sewing!

Borders have been added to my

"Pink Explosion"

and I kept them simple.

Please forgive the spots on this photo...

I don't know why they are there.

I had some of the same zebra print in black and white

and like it as a thin border to stop the pink.

Next will be to quilt this wild thing.

That will be kept simple, too!

Maybe just straight lines?

 This is one of the Mola's I bought in

Panama on the cruise I was on in April.

I collect crosses when I travel

and love this design.

I trimmed it down and added the pink binding.

The piece are a bit wonky,

but the tiny little stitches in this reverse applique are amazing.

I love the pops of color added here and there with the

applique and embroidery.

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are creating.

Happy Quilting!!

VCU... Go Rams Go!!

It's Christmas in June!

Or at least my oldest daughters' Christmas gift is

FINALLY finished in June!

I gave her this quilt top for Christmas

and finished sewing the binding down today.

Yes... it took a long time to finish, but

I had to find a new LAQ and that wasn't easy!

This daughter LOVES, LOVES, LOVES

VCU basketball.

She has a countdown in her room to when

basketball season begins again.

This was a small number of her VCU t-shirts

and a couple of her treasured jerseys.

I used the graph paper technique to lay this quilt top out

and will use it again for t-shirt quilts.

It was a challenge, but fun to make!

She will be so excited to have it on her bed when she gets home

from work tonight!

Go Rams!

**Edit**


Since I had only two people comment for my Giveaway
from last week....
:(
It didn't take long to pick the winner.

Lara from BuzzinBumble is the winner!
Thanks Lara!

Happy Quilting!!

A Whole Lotta Pink Going On!

Pink is not my favorite color.

It's not even in my top five of favorite colors.

In fact, it may be near the bottom of the list of colors for me,

right above Purple.

BUT...

my niece LOVES pink

And Pink and Black Zebra prints rock for her.

So,

Making this quilt for her is a labor of love.

I did enjoy the process of making these blocks, though.

Once the individual blocks were made,

there was very little fussing involved. 

It was just some mindless sewing...

Just what I needed!

Now I need to decide on the borders.

I'm thinking of keeping things simple

since this quilt is so wild already.

Look what I have....

Binding all ready for a quilt I am picking up tomorrow from my LAQ!!

I can't wait...Binding a quilt is one of my Favorite things to do.

Don't forget to check out my 

Give Away post here!!

And please visit Patchwork Times to see what is on

other quilters Design Walls.

Happy Quilting!!

Falling Leaves Finish....

Even though it's spring

and flowers are blooming and growing,

Leaves are falling here.

"Falling Leaves" is finished.

 

This was a kit I had purchased years ago and never made.

Now I ask myself why it took so long!

I love the background fabrics and design.

 

This completed my goal of quilting three quilts before starting a new project.

Yay!! for new projects!!

I didn't get as much done in the knitting department this week,

which means I didn't spend as much time waiting!

(That is a beautiful thing!)

One pink and black zebra sock is finished.

My niece is going to love these!

Don't forget to visit my Give Away post here!

And also, visit Patchwork Times and Whoop Whoop

to see what others are creating.

Happy Friday!

Blog Award and a Giveaway!

A couple of weeks ago, I was honored by

Lara at

BuzzinBumble

for nominating my blog for the

"One Lovely Blog Award."

The purpose of this award is to help introduce readers

to blogs they may not have visited and to help us find

new blog treasures and meet new people.

If you accept the award, then you write a blog post and:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their post.

 2. Share 7 things about yourself 

3. Choose 10 blogs to nominate for the award. (It is fine to nominate less than ten  just however many you feel comfortable with nominating.) 

Here is my acceptance speech:

I want to thank Lara at BuzzinBumble for nominating my blog for this award.

It means a lot coming from a fellow quilter, upstate New Yorker and person

with a great sense of humor.

(You HAVE to read her post on hypnotizing frogs.... here.)

Seven things about me are:

 1.  My faith is very important to me. I am a Believer.

 2. I dated my husband for two weeks before we were engaged. 

We just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary, so I guess it is working!

3. I started sewing when I was 8 and haven't stopped.

In the past I've made my clothes, my daughters' clothes, doll clothes,

window treatments, flags... you name it. 

I didn't start quilting until about 12 years ago.

4. I had moved 16 times before moving to the home I am in now. The longest

I had lived anywhere was 5 years and that was the first home we had after we

married. I have been in this home for 25 years...a huge record for me!

5. I am a College Basketball junkie! And there is no
12 step program for this, so I will continue
to cheer and yell my way through basketball season.

6. I love to bake and my husband says I make the best

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Cake.

7. I am very shy until I get to know someone. It takes all I have

to go up to someone I don't know and begin a conversation.

(You should hear the conversation in my head before I go over to the person!)

But once I know someone... it's all good!

Well...I hope I haven't scared any of you away! :)

The next part of the nomination was actually the most difficult for me.

I read a number of blogs, but have not "met" a lot of the people writing

these blogs. A few of the bloggers I approached were unable to

participate at this time, so my list is short.

The bloggers I am nominating are all very talented quilters

with different quilting styles.

And sew forth: Debbie

Podunk Pretties: Lea Anne

My Sewing Room: Sara

Idaho's Quilting Adventures: Julie

To entice you to visit the wonderful blogs above, I'm going to copy
Lara and offer a give away.

 

Please visit the blogs, including Lara's, and leave a comment.
Tell me how many blogs you commented on
and each comment will be a chance in the give away.

PLEASE make sure I can contact you if you are the winner!

I will have my daughter draw the winners name on Friday, June 12th.

So.. what could you win?

This mini Kaffe spool quilt.

The background text fabric is so cute and plays

so well with the Kaffe Spools.

It's 14 1/2 x 18 1/2". 

 Who knows... maybe there will be some
other goodies in with the quilt.
And some Chocolate Chip cookies may be in the package, too.

Grab Your Sunglasses...

And maybe some Dramamine!

It has been cloudy and rainy here all week

and I'm not complaining...

we needed the rain.

However,

I needed some brightness!!

So I am making my own in my

Hidey Hole.

Get out your sunglasses and check out my latest project!

(For those who read my blog,

I finished quilting my third quilt yesterday and

finished a couple of other projects that had been waiting patiently,

so I can start something new!)

  

Let me just say,

these blocks are brightening up my design wall in a big way!

One of my nieces

LOVES hot pink and black zebra prints.

When I saw this fabric, 

it had her name all over it.

 

I found the pink polka dots and black solid

and knew I wanted a simple design.

The fabrics are wild enough!

I found this design here

and went to town cutting and sewing.

When it's time to quilt this,

I might seriously need some Dramamine.

I've got Sunshine

On my Design Wall today!!

Happy Quilting!!

350 Blocks Project, June Addition

I have been absent from the 

350 Blocks Project the last two months,

but not because I wasn't sewing.

I was making things that can't be counted as blocks!

(A Tuffet, a bag, a felt stocking...)

The month of May found me making

Blocks again!!

In May I made this baby quilt top for my

Grand Nephew.

Add 24 blocks to the total.

I also caught up with the 

Gravity BOM

and made 6 segments for this quilt.

(These segments are all the same size. I took the photos

at different times.)

For the month of May,

I add 30 blocks to my total, 

making my yearly total

173 Blocks.

Now to get these tops quilted.

No more blocks until I quilt another top!!

Please click on the sidebar link for 350 Blocks Project
 to see how many blocks

others have made.

Happy Quilting!!

Cherokee Whispers

Happy First Day of June!!

I love summer!

The warm weather, beautiful flowers, Sunshine...

I love summer!

My potted vines are growing like crazy!

AND

My list of finished quilts is growing, too!!

Over the weekend, I put the last stitches in

"Cherokee Whispers"

and it is finished.

This quilt was made from batik scraps and white kona.

I forced myself out of my comfort zone

and didn't quilt this with a meandering design.

While it is far, far from perfect,

I am pleased with how it turned out.

(Just don't look too closely!!)

The pattern was designed by a friend of mine,

Augusta Cole,

and can be found here.

(I kept her name for this quilt since it fits it perfectly.)

Batiks are my FAVORITE!

They are so rich in color and I love all of the

unique designs.

This one is folded and added to my ever-growing pile

of quilts for my summer project.

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are working on this week.

Happy Quilting!!

Friday Finishes

This week I emptied two more

bags with unfinished projects.

YAY!!

I always have a pair of socks being knitted

(is this correct grammar?)

so I have something to grab and work on

while waiting in the car or wherever.

Today I have two pair of finished socks to share.

This pair is for little feet.

Oh, I really wish I knew what yarn this is...

I love it!

I think this is the first pair of socks that I have been able

to match the stripes.  They are a little off, but who's going to notice?

I did have to start another pair of socks, 

even though I said there would be no new starts until

my goals were met.

 I HAVE to have a portable project, right?!?!

I have a niece who LOVES pink and black zebra stripes.

This yarn was on sale, so how could I not buy it??

I hope my sister doesn't tell!!

 Yesterday I made the next two blocks for the Gravity BOM.

  

I don't remember if these are May or June blocks,

but I've made what I have.

Below are all of the blocks I've made so far.

This BOM isn't my favorite, but I am learning new things

and using new rulers, so it's all good!

:)

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are creating this week.

Happy Friday!

Cross My Heart

We have a Quilt Finish today!

YAY!!

"Cross My Heart" is quilted, bound and ready to be given to one of my nieces.

I had a lot of fun playing with the hearts

before deciding on this design. 

It's like the Hearts Wheel of Fortune!

I cut all of the hearts with my Go! Cutter 

after I ironed the fusible to the fabric.

 

Machine applique and quilting are not my forte, 

but if you don't look too closely....

:)

Happy Quilting!!

A Front Finish...

My goal from last week

is to not start anything new

Until I finish some of these

projects I have in piles, baskets and bags!

Today I have one finish to show.

Well, it's a "front" finish, 

but it counts!

Santa is on Vacation!

I love this Jolly Ole' Elf!

His legs are so chunky and cute with the flip flops.

One thing I do differently from the pattern when making these

stockings, is I use batting scraps to stuff the pieces

instead of polyfil. 

I started doing this with the very first stocking

because I didn't have any polyfil, but have

LOTS of batting scraps.

I place the piece of felt on the batting to use as a pattern

and cut the batting,

taking a little extra off

so the batting almost comes to the edge of the

felt piece.

The little boats and palm trees are so cute.

An adjustment I made with this pattern

is to not satin stitch all of the holly leaves on the blanket.

(Stitching is not my forte!)

I cut out little holly leaves from the green felt and stitched them in place.

This was MUCH easier and faster for me!

I now have two stocking fronts for which to make the 

quilted stocking bodies. These are on my list to finish before something

new is started!

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are creating.

Happy quilting!!

Finishes Before Starts

Why is it when I have a pile

(And I mean a PILE!!)

of quilts and projects in progress

I am ITCHING to start something new?

Do I feel the need to add to my stacks of quilts

waiting for machine quilting?

Do I really need another pile of fabrics

stacked in my Hidey Hole somewhere,

waiting to be cut or put away?

Do I need more bags/baskets/bins

with unfinished projects sitting around in here?

Unfortunately, once I get an idea in my head,

it is a fight not to start working on it right away.

NOT this time!

I am not starting anything new until

I have quilted three quilts

and finished a couple of little projects.

Things usually get finished around here, 

but lately... not so much.

SO....

Here is one project I started a while back

and am going to finish soon.

 

This is Bucilla felt stocking kit.

I have made a number of these and have a

number of kits still unopened.

This one was started a few months ago

and put into a basket where it sat.

 I love the palm trees on this stocking.

The curved edges of the fronds are not stitched down,

giving it a 3-D look.

I don't know how old this kit is and I can't remember

where I bought it.

It will be finished SOON!

Quilt #1 being quilted.

I have come to realize that I really

do not enjoy machine quilting.

My quilting is not wonderful

and I know it won't improve without practice,

(and I'd rather start something new then practice!)

But

hopefully this quilt will be finished by early next week.

I did finish a sock this week.

This is for a child, size 2-3.

Unfortunatley I lost the label for this yarn

and don't remember what it is.

I Love the colors and the softness!

These will be finished soon, as well.

Last week I ordered this new little ruler from

Simply Sock Yarn Company.

It's a Sock Ruler!

The curved end fits right into the toe or heel,

so I am now getting an accurate measurement

instead of wondering if I pulled the sock

or have the measuring tape in the right place, etc.

Hopefully I will be back with some

finishes soon

(And then can show you the start of something new!!)

:)

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are working

on this week.

Have a great Friday

and 

Happy Finishing!!