A new year, a new challenge!

It's a new year, so it was time to find a new challenge.  I wanted one that didn't require me to purchase much fabric, rather I wanted to use what I had on hand. I also wanted one that would get me in the sewing room, but not take up too much time, so that I would be inclined to stay in there and work on my massive UFO pile.

I found my challenge, thanks to a fellow quilter! The 365 Challenge Quilt Blocks features mostly 3" finished blocks, but also has some 6" blocks, 12" corner blocks and a 15" medallion centre.  Every day you make a block and at the end of the year, you have a 90"x90" sampler quilt. And as a bonus, it's free (although they are asking for a small donation to offset the server costs - it's easy to do through Paypal).

I love little blocks and most of these only took a few minutes, but that bonus block with its 28 pieces in a 3" block did take about a 1/2 hour. I did switch the colour scheme of the block for Day 3, but the Red Cross just had to be in red & white!

Didn't too bad with matching the seams though!  I can't promise that will always happen, but I take this one!

I used the Easy Angle template to cut my matched pairs of half-square triangles. I swear by this template to create exact-sized HST that only require the dog ears to be trimmed.

Look at those babies - they are 1 1/4" square, and finish at 3/4" inside the block!

These tiny pieces need to be pressed with the seams open, which I don't normally do. I did end up with a few "twisted sisters", but overall the open seams really do help with accuracy on the front!

I'm using an old line of fabric - I had a layer cake of Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater from Moda, and with a few solids, I can make quite a few blocks.  The yardage requirements are quite high for this quilt, but Moda is launching Volume II of the same line in the spring, so if I am keeping up, I can buy similar fabric then.

It's not too late to join the challenge. You can sign up on  Facebook or on the website http://www.365challenge.com.au/. Hope you join me!

May for Me!

Tonya of Hillbilly Handiworks and and her friend Marcia of Marcia's Crafty & Sewing Blog have started a 'May for Me' page on each of their blogs, and have invited people to join in, so I thought I would!

My plan is to try to do a little crafting every day for at least 15 minutes, and post about it. I'm also going to do some other "for me" things during the month, as I need some rejuvenation time.  Tonya and Marcia are posting helpful tips, projects and even a Mystery Quilt 'n Stitch-along. 

 

Today I'm going to spend my time sorting through some UFOs to decide which ones to work on, but I know I'll also start something new (maybe the Quilt 'n Stitch along) with this wonderful fat quarter package I just purchased!

 

 

I highly recommend 1choice4quilting.com.  Shawna's shipping was fast and the little extras were fun, and she even has free shipping (in the US) if you order more than $50.  And the bundle is even on sale now (just my luck - I might have to order more). 

Two flimsy finishes in one night!

I was on a roll the other night and got two tops finished. That makes a total of 4 in the last month - more than I have ever completed in a year, let alone a month.

The one on the left is made with Pure by Sweetwater for Moda and Bella Solid in Natural and it only took me a few evenings to put together, thanks to Melissa of Happy Quilting and her quilt-along. 

 I am in love with this disappearing 16-patch pattern and I'm already brainstorming a smaller block version for my scrappy leaders and enders.  Melissa still has her quilt-along instructions posted with many size variations so be sure to check out her website. I made a large lap-size/small twin to cuddle up on my sofa.

I was still in the mood to sew when I finished this top so I pulled out an old UFO from about 4 years ago and finished it off. 

(The colours are a little off and the wind was picking up so it looks a little off kitler.)

This started as a fussy-cut panel and was one of the projects from a class my LQS put on called Washtub Club.  The class projects used 30's prints and this quilt was the final project.  I had pieced the blocks to the coloured triangles, and then put it away.  Luckily I had bought all the finishing fabric so it was easy to cut the strips and triangles and finish it off.  There is supposed to be one more border that matches the pants of the little guy in the blue block, but I think I might leave it like this and give it to a friend.  She just bought a new house and the appliances are red so I thought this might make a cute wallhanging.  It's about the size of a baby quilt.

I love the fact that all the Sunbonnet characters are wearing pants and even though they are doing traditional "women" chores, like the washing on Monday and the ironing on Tuesday, I like to think of them as men!  Just the way they should be ;o)

I finished another of these this week as well. It's quilting simply with a vine machine-embroidered along the seams and Minkee on the back. It was the second of two flimsys I've had on hand for about 4 years, so it was nice to quilt it and give it to a friend for a birthday.  My dog, Daisy, gave me a hand pin-basting it!



Now I'm off to work on a little Vignette mystery quilting.

What are you doing today?

Yesterday was my birthday but I had to work, so today I'm having a Sew Day.  I'm staying in my favourite jammies, throwing a bunch of movies in the DVD player and sewing my heart out!  I've also shopped online to get my supply of Sunkissed by Sweetwater before they are all sold out.

I'm working on this:

Happy Quilt-along in Pure by Sweetwater 

Mug Rugs from from scraps (aprons I made)

Finishing Block One of my Vignette quilt before Issue Two arrives

And remembering how I celebrated a milestone birthday last year!

P.S. Krisgray has claimed the Moda tin giveaway - and is giving part of it away as well - she plans on making the mini-quilt for her gramma (shh, it's a surprise for Mother's Day!).  Congrats again, Kris!





Congratulations and announcing another giveaway!

I'm sorry it's taken me a little bit of time to post the winner of the draw from Stash Manicure.  Congratulations to Laura from http://lauralovesquilting.blogspot.com/ who said "Thanks for your great post on Stash Manicure. It is very encouraging. I would love to win that book (and, of course, not begin a single project in it until I finish a UFO, ha, ha, ha)."  She sounds like a girl from my own heart!  Madame Samm was so generous to offer up a book by Marie Osmond called Heartfelt Giving when I posted at Stash Manicure.

And now that I am rapidly approaching a significant number of followers, I thought I'd have a little giveaway of my own.  I have been hanging on to this cute little collector's tin from Moda for a few years now, but I never managed to get any more of them (well, except for Spish Splash) so I going to do a draw when I hit 50 followers! 

It is a charm pack of Fig Tree Quilts' A Day in the Country for Moda and was made in 2006. 

It even includes the pattern for the little quilt shown on the front of the tin called "Honey Bee" - so cute!

Here's the back of the tin with all the details:

If you are already a follower, you are in the draw.  Get your quilty friends to join so I can do the draw sooner!  I'll ship it to anywhere in the world from my little corner of Canada.

Giveaways on the 'net!

Since I've discovered quilting and sewing blogs, I have found that there are a huge amount of generous ladies out there giving away FREE stuff!  As I go through my boxes of stash, I'm putting aside some things I've never used, never finished, or just plain will never get to and will have a giveaway or two of my own down the road.  In the meantime, these lovely ladies ask that we share the news of their giveaways on our own blogs, so here is one I found today (now if I could only figure out how to put those cute buttons up!):

Jenn at Little Ladybugs Creations is giving away a honey bun (1 1/2 strips of a full fabric line) called Clementine by Me and My Sister Designs for MODA.  She is apparently lucky enought to live near the MODA warehouse.  This fabric line is full of sunny oranges, lavendars, sky blues, and lime greens with fun, funky prints and patterns. What a perfect way to add some sunshine to these gloomy winter days!  Here's a picture:

 

And for some great ideas for what to do with Honey Buns, Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs (and the definitions) check out MODA's Bake Shop - it's filled with free ideas and tutorials.