Oh if I had all the time in the world...

Sometimes I get sad about quilting... not really about quilting but perhaps the LACK of it.

This is a group of blocks that one of my quilt groups did as a swap.  I had big plans to make these into a tree skirt this year, but it just didn't happen.  Perhaps I will get around to it for next year.  I find that I often have so much I want to do, but never the time to make it happen.

3x6 and 4x5 blocks

On Flickr, I have participated in several rounds of the 3x6 and 4x5 bees.  These particular bees have you making about 6 of the same blocks to exchange with other people (I make the blocks in their particular color choice)--- I posted my blocks from the 2nd quarter here .

Look at all the wonderful blocks I have received!  And they mostly all go together seemlessly!  I am still brainstorming on how to make this a little more fun.  I also am still thinking about what to do with it when I finish it.  We aren't exactly having a blanket shortage at my house!

Here are my blocks from a different angle.  I love them!!!

Thinking about Valentines in November

I belong to a quilt group with some women that I used to go to church with and now get to be good friends with them and crash their quilting group!  Our latest project is a Valentine's project where we wanted to make blocks for each other using Valentine fabrics and colors as well as some heart inspired blocks.  I finally finished up the last of my blocks (we have been exchanging each week we see each other, so these are just the last few I had to whip up).  I did a few different blocks, but the majority of my blocks are what I have pictured below.

 I made dresdens-- both flat edged and pointed-- as well as these "lil' twister" blocks.

I bought the "Lil' Twister" template at the IQF show this year and I love it!  It is a cute little template that is great to use with Charm squares and is really easy to do.  The best part is that it looks so good when it is completed!  For my first try with the template, I used my leftover Punctuation fabric.

 My week for exchanging was a few weeks ago and these are the blocks that I have received!  Aren't they awesome!?  I am already thinking about what I want to do with this quilt to take it to the next level!:)  I am so lucky to have so many talented people that inspire me to do more!!

MMM Sent!

My Make Mine Modern was sent off to my partner last week, but I was not thinking and completely forgot to take pictures.  LUCKILY for me, my partner loved it and took lots!

I made her a tablerunner (from Ty Pennington's Impressions line) that would match her new curtains, a pouch, a pincushion and included a pattern because she has girls that she likes to make clothing for.  I also loaded her up on fabric because I am a fabric hoarder myself and who doesn't LOVE fabric?  I always feel so relieved when I know my partner has received her package and when she approves the contents therein.  This was a fun parcel to put together and I hope my partner enjoys it!

For the Love of Solids Preview

 I joined a group called "For the Love of Solids" which is a swap.  You are given a secret partner and their information about what they would like in a swap.  The person I got is completely lovely, makes wonderful things and has great taste.  However, she requested a bag, purse or a tote and wants whatever she gets to have lots of pockets and zippers and pockets with zippers.  I have only been sewing since February and leaped into piecing quilts right away.  So, my skills for sewing items besides quilts are rather limited.  I can make a very small bag and maybe could put one zipper together on several tries and could probably figure out how to make a multi-pocket pocket, but it just wouldn't look very good.

SO- I had a huge dilemna on what to make.  So, I told myself to go ahead and make something that is generic enough that anyone could find something to like and make it the best you can.  Hopefully she will love it as much as I do.  I can't show it all since I haven't mailed off the package and this supposed to be SECRET, but these are the previews that I put up on flickr.

So, I plan on sending this item, along with a pile of fabric and hope the extra yardage will make up for me not making exactly what she wanted.  I am very nervous about the reaction, but I think she will like it.

JUNE ALFALC Swap Received

I received this little package last month for my A Little Fabric A Little Chocolate swap.  We said extra fabric instead of chocolate since it is like 100 degrees here in Houston.  More fabric is better anyway!

4x5 Kickoff!

The new 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee is kicking off and soon the 3x6 will be back in full swing.  These groups have me making a block for each person in my group within approximately 3 months or so.  The idea is that after participating in a couple rounds, you should be able to make a sampler-type quilt out of all the blocks you have received.  I had to come up with a collage that represented the colors and types of blocks I would like.   This is what I came up with:

1. Corey's bee block - "Sew New to Me" vqb, 2. Caitlyn's Quilt Block Detail 8, 3. July Block Party, 4. Caitlyn's Quilt Detail of pieced quilt, 5. bee beautiful March block, 6. If it's a boy quilt - front, 7. Layouts, 8. Quilting Divas - block for mamamary2, 9. Pillow Swap 3, 10. 3x6 Q1- melinda, 11. 3x6 Hive 25, for Neet Designs (Nita), 12. Blue, green, and gray, 13. Dresden plate block for joanna, 14. IMG_3317, 15. [3 x 6] Bee Quilt Block, 16. Circle of Geese block for Renee

Joining Make Mine Modern Swap!

So, I have just joined the Make Mine Modern swap.  I know, another swap but I have been waiting for this one to open up because it seems like the swaps are really great and I am excited to make things for my partner!  Anyways, we needed to make a mosaic of things we like and our tastes and this is mine!

1. change purse, 2. Louise Pleated Wristlets, 3. Red and Aqua Winding Ways, 4. Australasian Bee Quilt Finished - front, 5. scalloped fabric garland, 6. "Spot On" Circle Quilt, 7. Doll Quilt Swap 10 Complete, 8. cathedral windows, 9. habitat by Jay McCarroll, 10. cosmetic pouch Riley Blake fabric, 11. Cascade Quilt, 12. Bumper in crib 1, 13. Supernova quilt, 14. Swap Ornaments from Amy, 15. DQS10 quilt finished, 16. For Make Mine Modern, 17. Breeze half apron 2, 18. Pillow in action, 19. Aviary 2 Quilt-FINISHED, 20. Blockwork Orange Quilt-FINISHED

Blockwork Orange Quilt-FINISHED

 This was a great quilt to work on.  This quilt is the product of a swap I did called, "A Blockwork Orange".  We all used Elizabeth Hartman's tutorial of a crazy nine patch block and made as many as we wanted to swap. 

 I got mine back a month or so after handing them in and was very excited at all the great blocks!  I incorporated some more of the blocks that I made that included a square containing grey because I knew I wanted to used Kona charcoal for my sashing and border.  I love how it ties into the blocks so well.  I also bordered the block groupings with Kona Snow.

 This ended up being quite a big quilt and for some reason, the picture below is the best I got of the front of the quilt... (seriously!?!)

 It was really hard to find the right backing for this quilt and I am not sure I did it, but I found a fabric that had orange on an off white background.  I think it works well.

I bound the quilt with a scrappy binding made up of my leftover orange fabrics that I used for my own blocks.  I love it, it looks awesome. 

Still don't have a plan for this one yet!

May ALFALC- RECEIVED!

For the May A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate Swap, my partner Megan outdid herself and sent me this beautiful package!

 She sent me some gorgeous pictures that she took, an awesome little bag, some Aviary II fabric, japanese fabric, some notions, a couple extras and a bib and burp cloth for Mason! 

I love this little bag!  I used it already for my makeup/toiletries while at the hospital.  It worked perfectly.  I think I might use it for my thread and scissors instead.  It is so cute.

ALFALC Swap- May

One of my newest swaps is the "A little fabric, a little chocolate swap"...sounds right up my alley, huh?  The idea is you send some fabric (at least 3 fat quarters worth), a notion of some sort, some chocolate and a handmade item.  For my handmade item, my partner requested/mentioned a table runner. So, that's what I made!

 I tried it on my table-- just to see how it would look.

 Here is a closeup of the front where you can see the quilting better.

 I used Moda Central Park charm squares and did the sashing/borders with Kona charcoal and a Kona orange color (not sure what color).

For the backing, I used a Moda Eden print.  I really liked it and it makes me want to do an entire quilt from the Eden line, but it is a little hard to find.

3x6 Bee-2nd Quarter

 I joined the 2nd quarter of the 3 x 6 Mini Bee.  This is a bee where you have three months to finish off 6 blocks (of the same pattern) for 6 different people (and yourself if you choose).  I had such a hard time coming up with what to do!  I made 3 of one block but decided it wasn't really me, then started on another block but they weren't coming out real uniform, then I finally settled on doing log cabins.  Wasn't real original of me since I didn't even realize another hive member had also done log cabins... ugh, this preggo brain.

 Anyway, I was frantic to finish them before Mason comes, so this is what I came up with and it worked out fine because the other log cabins that the other hive member made look very different.  Each hive member chooses the colors and we each pull from our own stash.

 This one is actually mine... grey, green and blue.

 Mardene chose purple, yellow and aqua.

 Anna chose red, pink and blue.

 Nicole chose yellow, blue and grey.

 Kat chose orange and aqua.

 Becky chose orange, green and yellow.

Jane (our hive leader)- chose red, white and aqua.

In the end these were actually really fun, but I think I stressed out too much about it.  Sometimes I really ought to learn to relax!

April Bee Blocks

 Here are the bee blocks I made this month:

For Add a Border Block swap I added the next border on these two:

 

 For Fat Stash Bee, Jodi asked us to make a bento block for a quilt that she plans on making for her 15-year-old son.  I was really excited about this because I had just purchased some of Michael Miller's Extreme line that I knew would be perfect for a cool teenage guy :).  So, I was so excited, I made her 3.

 For Christmas Fabric Bee, it was my month (woo hoo) and I asked everyone to make me a pictoral block for Christmas.  I think it will end up being really fun blocks for the quilt and also I really enjoy seeing what others do and how creative they are!  Here are my two blocks:

 In Christmas Fabric Bee, it was also Stephanie's month and she asked for Mod Mosaic blocks, I am not the hugest fan of these, but I love how they turned out and I think she will be happy with the quilt she ends up with.

 For the Twelve Month Quilting Bee, Melissa also asked for Mod Mosaic blocks.  I LOVED her fabrics and even decided to work on a quilt that uses similar colors after working with these.  I had hoped to do another block for her, but I didn't have enough fabric and I think I must have been a little generous on my sashing because I didn't even have enough to border this one block!

 In the Aqua and Orange Bee Melissa asked for Wonky log cabins and that is what she got!  I think it is really striking with these colors and think this will be a really fun quilt and a super fun bee to be a part of.  Can't wait for my month!

 This quarter, I also joined up with the 3 x 6 mini bee which has me making 6 blocks in 3 months.  Below is the block I chose and I finished up two of them so far... two more to go!

 For Sew2Speak, April had a quilt in mind and wanted us each to make a block from the pattern she provided.  This was a good one as it had us working on our applique skills.

 For Honey Bee Part Deux, Kristina wanted to make her a dresdon block.  I was very excited to do this one as I had not yet tried it and I love how it came out.  However, this took a bit of time to do the one block so I think I will keep that in mind and if I ever want a dresdon quilt, I will make some bee mates help me out! :)

 The Crazy Bento Block Swap just started up again.  I have to make 12 blocks by September I think it is (might be August)... anyway, these are the two I made this month:

 In Sewn Together, Sorrel had us make these small trees for a wall hanging that she will be putting together.  I had a bit of a time with this one as the pieces were REALLY small and it didn't come out as clean as I would have liked, but even in the tutorial, the examples were also this way.  Sorrel was kind and said that she loved them and it added to the charm of it.  Some people are just too nice.

Whew, I think that's it for April.  It never seems like a lot until I take stock in what I've done.  Really I enjoy these bees, so it hasn't felt like work... yet.

Blockwork Orange Quick Swap

 Last month I joined the Blockwork Orange Swap.  It was one of those swaps that you just had to punch out a bunch of blocks and mail them in and get others' blocks back in return.  This particular one was so fast and a total breeze.  I LOVED it!

 These crazy 9-patch blogs were courtesy of Oh Franssons online tutorial.

 They are really easy to do, almost impossible to mess up and you bang out 9 of these bad boys at the same time!  WOO HOO!

 Above are the group of blocks that I sent in for the swap.  I used fabric mostly purchased from Fabricworm.  They have bundles in almost every colorway so it was an easy pick for fabric for this one.  I also had some other oranges in my stash that I added in.

 Here are the blocks when I got them back.  I tried to play around with how I wanted them and thought I would probably lay them in rows like this, but opted for something else.

This is the finished top.  I put the blocks in groups of four and groups of six and laid them just like you see above.  Then, I framed them in Kona Snow and sashed and bordered in Kona Charcoal.  I am really happy with it and will post the finished product when it is finished being quilted and when I have the back put together.  Still not sure what to do with the back!