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.

Triangles in Progress

Awhile back, I posted about some blocks I wanted my Always Bee Learning quilt group to work on.  I received pretty much all of them back (though I think this picture doesn't include a few of them for some reason). 

They are all different and all look AWESOME.  I can't wait to find the time to get this quilt put together.  Right now I continue to have them on my design wall.  They are all quite traditional in design... such is often the case when working primarily with half square triangles.  So, I am trying to think about what I can do to make it more ME.  I plan on off setting the blocks in some way but haven't quite figured it all out yet.  I am sure I will show you when I finally do!

November Bee Blocks

I have a couple more that I am still working on, but here are most of my November Bee Blocks:

 Garden Fence Blocks.

 Snowflakes.

 Flying Geese.

 Pinwheels.

 Purple/Grey Mosaic.

Hidden 9 patch.

Ruby LOVE

I'm in the process of making up blocks for a quilt that I have had in mind for awhile.  I am using the Moda Ruby line.

The block I chose was inspired by a quilt that I quilted for someone else.  She used charm squares to make her blocks and the blocks were HUGE.  I wanted to scale it down a bit.  I had several packs of Ruby charm squares and quartered each square to compose these blocks.  I also bought some extra yardage of all the pindot fabrics.

 The blocks are 11.5" right now (so they will finish at 11").  I am thinking that I will likely make one large block and surround it with these small ones, but I am still thinking about that.

In addition to the Moda Ruby fabric, I am also including some of the Bliss line into the quilt.  I already made a Bliss quilt awhile back and had some extra fabric to work with.  The two lines, both by Bonnie & Camille, work seamlessly together.  I am still going to have a ton of fabric leftover, so I am sure yet another Bliss/Ruby quilt will be on the horizon!

Love Birds Quilt- FINISHED

I just finished up this quilt for a friend of mine.  I bartered with her and made her a quilt in return for her taking our family pictures this year.  I still feel like I got the better end of the deal but she was very happy to receive this quilt, so that made me happy!

 I used Riley Blake's Love Birds line for this quilt.  The center was so busy that I wanted to break it up with the solid white.  I like how it turned out!  I don't remember the exact measurements but I believe it was around 70x70.

 I pieced the backing... I was very short on the fabric I chose which was also from the Love Birds line so I added some of the fabric I had in my stash.  The colors are really pretty-- I like how the back turned out.

 A closeup.

 Here is a closeup of the front where you can see some of the quilting.  I used one of the new pantographs that we got and I really loved it!    I can't remember it's exact name but it was a funky leaf/feather pattern. 

I used a very light pink Glide thread for this quilt but since the quilt itself is very busy, the fabric is more the show than the quilting.  Hopefully my friend will be able to enjoy and snuggle under this beauty!

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!!!

Hometown

I LOVE Moda's Hometown line by Sweetwater.  It is just gorgeous and I have a lot of it...let's just say those aren't fat quarters stacked up and leave it at that.   

I am still trying to decide exactly what sort of quilt to make but I also plan on using the extra fabric to make pillows for our sofa.  I have decided my house needs to be introduced to my style because I don't feel like it quite represents me.  We will see if I manage to pull off all I want to with this fabric!

Brown and Pink Baby Quilt

I make a lot of baby quilts... I have lots of friends that keep having lots of babies :).  Luckily, these are just so fun to make. 

 I did a really simple log cabin design.  There was the picture fabric that is framed and then the other blocks have a center square with two frames.

 I used the leftover fabric to piece the backing.  I don't know the fabric line, but the main backing fabric is Lily and Will.

 I LOVE this quilting design.  the hearts are simple but fun.  I really like how they interlock with one another.  It is just a little different than most heart designs.

 I used a stripe fabric for the binding.  I still hand sew down all my bindings.  I am a little scared to machine bind for some reason... I think in my warped mind I think if I screw up on it the whole quilt is ruined.  I think one day soon I ought to try it though.

I hope this quilt is loved-- I just love pink and brown baby girl quilts!

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!!

Countdown to Christmas Quilt

Sweetwater who designs for Moda, has some of the best fabric out there.  I love their style!  So, I was excited to get my hands on their Christmas line, "Countdown to Christmas".  I saw a quilt on Flickr that I really liked (found here by frivolous necessity) and decided to test myself to see if I could make it without using a pattern.

 Somehow I always screw up triangles and I did on this one too, but I think I am the only one who could really notice it because I know what I did wrong!  I really love how it turned out.

 I enjoy these patterns that make your eyes have to focus and unfocus to see several patterns within the same quilt.  I think that is what made me gravitate to this design.

 I used the off white print that had the words for the backing.  I also used a stripe for the binding.

 I quilted this on the longarm using a holly and berry pantograph.  I wasn't a huge fan of this one but I think it was mostly because the fabric was so busy you couldn't see much of the quilting anyway.  Still love this quilt!  It's about 55x55ish??  It was finished just in time to hang over our couch for Christmas.  My other Christmas quilt is hanging on our wall in the front room!