What Am I Working on Now?

Wow!  Didn't realize I hadn't updated this blog since February.  Where has the time gone?  I don't remember what I've done in the meantime, but here's what I am currently working on. 

Of course I should be working on my 2 Judy Niemeyer quilts.  I bought Glacier Star as a block-of-the-month several years ago.  I'm on step 2.  More on that one later.  In April I took a class with Judy to make the 4th of July quilt.  So, am I working on those?  No.....

I signed up to do Gyleen Fitzgerald's summer camp.  It is online with instructions emailed every week, sometimes several times a week.  The quilt is a utility quilt, 60 X 60, to be used for picnics, beach, etc.  The top is done and the instructions for the pieced back are coming today.  I was able to use some scraps and some fabric that I had little left.  Also, some pieces that I thought what in the world am I going to do with that?

I got my Easy Street quilt, Bonnie Hunter's mystery from 2012, back from the quilter.  Loretta Webre quilted it and she did a fabulous job quilting it in a fleur de lis pattern.  The back is a blue and white toile and it is so soft.  It is on my bed now and I just love it!  It is a perfect summer quilt.

I didn't do Bonnie's 2013 mystery quilt, Celtic Solstice.  Her mysteries begin the day after Thanksgiving and end January 1.  For many, that is the busiest time of the year.  And she likes quilts with small pieces.  I believe one of her recent mysteries had 4,300+ pieces!  I get so many donation quilts done by having a leader and ender project.  I typically do scrap strip blocks.  But, I had a great idea!  My favorite BH quilt is Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll.  So, I thought, why not do that quilt as a leader and ender project?  It took me about a week to cut out the thousands of pieces.  I sewed together the pieces waiting to assemble the main blocks.  Now I will do the 600 red/white half square triangles as leader and enders while working on my Judy Niemeyer quilts.  Good plan, huh?  Here are the blacks I have together so for.  What I do is after I have 20 red/white half square triangles together I  stop and piece a block together.  I hope to have this one together by the end of the year.  Maybe in time for her next mystery!

Bounce UFO

I have one UFO.  I know, don't hate me, but I do not like UFOs.  I've had this one for a few years.  Several years ago I took a class with Kaffe Fassett in Houston.  The class was for the Bounce quilt.  We spent the entire class choosing colors and working on the design wall.  No sewing.  Got home and there it sat.  This is the current state.  Need to finish sewing the circles with the blanket stitch for machine applique. 

 

What's next?  To sew corners on 400+ squares snowball block style.  Think I want to do that?  That's why it has remained a UFO. This is what it looks like in the book all done.

 And I've decided I no longer like this quilt and probably won't keep it when done.  So, why spend all that time to make 400+ snowball blocks.  I'm waving the white flag on this one.  Since the center is 40 X 52 I am going to finish the applique and quilt it.  It will then be a donation quilt for a children's charity.  Some little girl will love this pink one. 

How have I avoided additional UFOs?  A friend of mind told me a few years ago that she has put together a collection of fabrics that coordinate and every class she takes she makes a few of the blocks taught in the class.  When she has enough blocks from various classes she will then put them together for a quilt.  BINGO!  That's is what I'm doing now.  Have you ever thrown in the towel on a UFO?

Scrappy challenge table runner

This past holiday season I was overwhelmed with my goals of items to make for the church's Christmas bazar.  I literally sewed and quilted from September until December.  So, this year my goal is to make 1 item each month.  When Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times came out with her monthly scrappy challenge involving a designated block she included diagrams for a quilt and a table runner.  I made this table runner using scraps from the other Christmas projects I did this year.  I do not have an inch of either the white or green fabrics left- those were truly scraps.  I do have about 1/2 yard of the red left, so you may see it again!

January done- cha ching!  Now I get to spend the rest of the month working on a UFO- right?

Christmas gift- Jai's guitar quilt

For Christmas gifts for my sister's grandchildren I made quilts.  The 2 little girls are 7 and got everything in the toy store from Santa, so I made them cute little flower quilts they could use to take a nap (Ha).  My sister's grandson is 14.  He plays the guitar and loves to hunt deer.  His quilt is guitars (and other musical instruments) on the front.

And on the back, camo fabric

He loved it!  And we put it to good use.  As it began to get dark on Christmas night we decided to all sleep over and have a slumber party!  It was so much fun.  Happy Holidays All!

Santa's Elf

I feel like one of Santa's elves on a treadmill.  Why oh why did I decide to give so many quilty items as Christmas gifts?  I've been busy the past few months making wall hanging, placemats, napkins, casserole carriers, wine gift bags, etc. for the church Christmas bazar.  It was over yesterday.  Now on to the projects for family Christmas gifts.  Oh, but I did accept a commission from one of my fellow Sunday school teachers to make a t-shirt quilt for her husband for a Christmas gift.  Did I tell you I got so excited she asked me that it never occurred to me to say no?  Thank God I am off of work until January 12.  Now, if only I can make it to December 25- then I can rest. 

Anyway, here is Aaron's t-shirt quilt.  I just finished the top.  Now to the back and quilting it.  I've never quilted a t-shirt quilt on my domestic machine, so keeping my fingers crossed all goes well. 

 

I just got back from the French bakery where I picked up a baguette.  I love the sign on the wall that says "Look Busy.  Jesus is Coming".  No problem with that here!

Gooseberry Garden

I was looking for a quilt pattern that had a center medallion that could pass as a cross.  I came across this one by Judy Niemeyer called Gooseberry Garden. 

The only problem is that it is 48" X 48" and I want a bed size quilt.  So, I am adding borders.  This is the first  few borders- the tan and then 4 patches.

Today I am working on flying geese for the next layer.  Almost finished those.

Then there will be another border of tan followed by half-square triangles.  The last wide border will be the cream color onto which I will applique the vines, leaves and flowers that are on the center of the quilt on the pattern.  If my measurements end up accurate, the final quilt will measure 105" X 105".  Obviously this one will take a while to get the applique done. 

Wild Women Don't Get the Blues

This is my version of Wild Women Don't Get the Blues.  I took this class with Karen Stone in January 2012 at a GSQA workshop in Pensacola, FL.  I tried to go with the predominant colors of pink and black, but, I also added in blue, yellow, lime green, etc.  It is all paper pieced.  It is 42 blocks total.  Just needs a little long-arming!