And now, for something totally different...

It is String Hearts for "Block Lotto"!

One of my "Bloggy Friends" mentioned she was making some string hearts for her Block Lotto group... and it looked like so much fun, I emailed Sophie to see if I could join their group. I thought one or two blocks a month until I manage to finish Kaylin's quilt would be do-able. These heart blocks are a bit addicting, though. Very quick to make and really good stash busters. All those little bits that are too narrow for the strip bins, but too big to throw out... what a good way to use them! This one is my first (and the one I like least - the strings are too wide and the colors need to be brighter).

February's UFO is Number Ten

Well, I figured out which UFO I need to finish for February!

Judy L. drew #10, and for me that was the "2006 North Bay Shop Hop." I had managed to put all the blocks for the quilt (still unwrapped) as well as the backing and setting fabrics for it into a bag to keep everything clean and tidy. Nice Fall colors in the fabric selection and I chose an interesting setting pattern, too.

I liked the idea of making this quilt "someday" and reliving memories of the Shop Hop trip Kerstin and I took... driving around to the twelve different quilt shops, miles and miles apart in the North Bay, to collect all the blocks in one day. It wasn't getting any closer to becoming a completed quilt, though, hiding in those bags-within-a-bag.

So far I have completed two of the blocks, and on the third one I'm doing a "new" thing for me... needle-turn applique. I'm glad I have joined Judy's UFO challenge. Soon I will have two quilts from the list finished! YYAAY!

UFO #10 for the Challenge...

OK, at least I looked it up. Number ten on my UFO list for the challenge is "NB Shop Hop - 2007". I'll have to go upstairs and see which one that is! I should have put Post-Its on the bags containing the numbered UFOs! Definitely a "to-do" for today... right after I finish planting the apple trees.

The kids have District Swim Finals this weekend - so not a lot of sewing will get done. I am going to be a "Bad Auntie" and take Kaylin some fabric scraps from her quilt as a teasing sort of joke! Tee Hee! She thought it funny when I did it with Alex, but we'll see her reaction this time around. (Johnny just looked a little confused when I brought him three miserable little fabric pieces and told him it was his quilt.... boys??!??)

Two Down, a Gazillion to Go !

This is the Christmas Quilt, made from "Friday Block Party" 12 inch-ers ... I decided that I had done enough blocks in that colorway to make a throw that would see use one month out of the year. At least that is the plan when we have the insulation and the nice new window in. Right now my Christmas quilt is covering the open space where the window goes in the East wall of the living room. Our lovely pink insulation and the bare studs can be seen in the photo as well - but HAVING insulation is nice and cozy! No wonder it was so hard to keep our house warm last winter, there was NO insulation in the walls at all.




Next comes the January UFO, #6 on my list from the last post - for Judy L's "UFO CHALLENGE". I started this one as a BOM in about 2006 (?? is that right, Kerstin??) in two different color ways. I really like the Asian fabrics, but some of the blocks aren't my very favorites. Makes a nice throw, though. Since I had to put away all my Christmas stuff, I need a throw for my couch. This little throw is small enough that I may decide to try topstitching it on my machine, but right now it is in a bag with it's binding and backing... ready to go down to Kerstin in California. ALL DONE!
I'm still working on Kaylin's Grad quilt, but I've moved the deadline to Valentine's day... I think that is possible. I chose a block for her quilt that I used to complete this one, since I had only seven - and one didn't really match the rest. Kaylin's blck is the one in the upper right of the photo. I'm getting pretty good at HSTs; there are 200 of them in her quilt!

Judy's UFO Challenge List

The Christmas Quilt is back from Kerstin's! It is one of those finished projects that I'm not sure I like, but it may be growing on me... Right now it is hanging over the open space where the window goes (there is a reason for all those tapestries in European Castles!!) in the living room, and keeping the cold out.

Since we have so many unfinished projects, Kerstin and I decided to join the Patchwork Times UFO Challenge instead of doing a BOM this year. She is a much more prolific quilter than I, and has many more UFOs (many more finished quilts as well!) but I have at least 12 that are needing anything from "just one more block" to "cut out and ready to go". There are at least 12... perhaps I'll have to choose which to put into the monthly challenge!

First order of business, though, is to finish Kaylin's graduation quilt! The goal is to have it completed by January 1st... wish me luck!

Here is the list of quilts to finish so far, I still haven't been to look at the box(es) so I won't have a complete list until a bit later.

1. Drunkard's Path Variation BOM
2. QA - Marty Michell (butterflies)
3. Cathy's quilt - Bento Box
4. Snail Trail -Blue and Cream
5. Country Stars
6. Green Asian Stars - Jan. Drawing, FINISHED 1-27-2010! picture on Jan 31 post.
7. Six-Inch "Strings"
8. Black Fossil Fern Stars
9. NB Shop-hop 06
10. NB Shop-hop 07
11. Chickens - not funky
12. Funky Chickens

Pigs Are Flying!

This is the FBP Block for last week... called "Farmer's Daughter". It is a 10" block, but it had been so long since I had done and FBP block that I swapped colorways, using the 9-inch "Baby" colors instead of the Jazzy "Kids Prints" that were supposed to be for the 10-inch blocks.

I'm taking a short break from Johnny's quilt; the twins graduate from Roseburg HS this June, so I've got TWO special quilts to do this year! The blocks are made, so today will be setting them... and tomorrow I can put the borders on. That means Monday the quilt will go to Kerstin in California for topstitching! I really like this one, it is definitely a Man's quilt... Batik brown and blue, with a sand colored BG and just a hint of bright green to make the colors pop. I'll post a picture of one block, just in case he looks here... HS Senior boy? I don't think so!!!

Long Time No Post...

Here is the R/W/B "Album" block from week 26 of Friday Block Party. Just a few more of this colorway and I'll have another UFO wrapped up! Really like the red bandanna fabric I used for the inner square... only had a smidgin of that, so this was the perfect spot.

I did manage to finish the Lap Quilt I was making from Christmas fabrics, and sent it off to Kerstin for quilting - again, without taking a photo... will I never learn???

When Erin came to Oregon for her Summer visit, three of her teacher friends at ASK (school) were pregnant, and she wanted to make baby quilts for them... like the one she had made for Wendy's baby. Cool idea, yeah?
Oh, and since one of the new Moms already had a darling two year old, could we make a quilt for Claire as well? (Note how the focus has changed from she wanted to make quilts to "we" need a quilt for Claire, too???) Not a problem. The really good thing about baby quilts is that they are really SMALL, and fast, and I can quilt them on my machine at home.

This "Dancy" red quilt is Claire's. The red polka-dots aren't... dots, I mean. They are a swirly batik.

The tiny rail fence with the moons and stars is for Claire's new baby brother.