Last of the pillow blocks for now... maybe.

This block is called Morning Star 2, from Quilter's Cache... it was way back at week #8 in the FBP blocks, and I don't know if I had even started by then! Probably had, but I didn't do this one. I made it out of some of the Kahala Shirt Fabrics for the kids' pillows. Hoped to hae them all finished and given as "Birthday Presents" yesterday - that didn't happen... I still need to practice more on my quilting. I'm getting better, though. I'm still reluctant to put the quilting on these, as I know they'll be around for a long time - and while I don't need perfect, good is really necessary.







I made a little bag to send off to a quilter in Florida as part of a swap. The bag was fun and I got some quilting practice in on it, too! My "water" pattern is getting better. I loved the Halloween fat-quarter and just had to put it in! It was the ONLY thing I bought (Oh, no... I got a book, too... forgot) at the Pacific Northwest Quilting Expo last week. I was pretty proud of myself for not spending a fortune! I did colect a bunch of cards and wrote on the back what I wanted from each of the vendors, so I can do all that shopping later, tee hee.

Playing catch-up yet again!

I made three FBP blocks ... well actually two new ones and ripped/fixed one ... today.

This first one is actually the current block, so it isn't a catch-up at all.

Titled "Nelson's Victory", I used bubbles, white tone-on-tone ocean waves and blood red. Problem here - there wasn't enough of the perfect blood red! I had another red, but it was too dark; didn't look quite bloody enough. So, Scot that I am... I sewed some tiny red strips together to get my last 3 1/2 inch square. Yay me! The windy morning made for an oddly-shaped block.


This next one is a catch-up block from the week I was in Palm Desert with my Dad. It is called "Double Quartet" and is really tiny - well, for me it is tiny (8") because I don't usually do small blocks ... I tend to re-size them to 12" when I can do the math.

What did I learn from this block? Never sew when you are mad at somebody. You'll just have to take a do-over ! The Do-Over did come out a bit better; I really like the reddish flowered Chinz pattern, and the middle green is my "most favorite" color ever (no fair telling the 'teacher police' about my grevious grammar errors, you guys!)... Anyway, I wasn't about to let this block go and waste fabric just because I had a burr under my saddle. I suppose the solitude did me good, as I'm not as PO-ed as I was. The block is still wonky, but it will do.

This last block is the "Castles in the Air" for FBP that I posted a while back. "Jack" (yeah, the Ripper- thanks, J!) and I spent some quality time and I got the blue blocks where they belong. One more of the Hawaiian Shirt Fabric blocks, and I'll be good to go for the 27th! Just puttin' the pillows together! Cathy and Duck will get theirs later, but they are OK with that.

Castles in the ... OOOoops!

I was pleased with this block, week 35 for Friday BlockParty, that I made using some of the grey Kahala Hawaiian fabric from one of Spud's shirts. I am making the kids each a pillow using the fabric, and thought I'd use some of the FBP block patterns since I don't have projects in mind for them.

After I took the photo, I noticed that there was a problem with the block. I've reversed the top center and left middle blocks. The blue fabric should be on the outside. Oh, well. More quality time with the seam ripper.

More FBP Blocks

Starting with the very first of the FBP blocks (wk#1) as my first make up... I didn't join the group until the fifth or sixth week, I think. This one is Broken Dishes Variation, and the tomato red Batik reminds me of Catsup. I was putting more fabric into tubs so I could locate it easier, and came across a whole stash of Batik I didn't know I had! How cool is that! I got a bunch more fabric and didn't have to spend a dime... no complaints here.

Back to the "Block Party"

I have been a BBAAADDD player in QuiltPixie's Friday Block Party! I got Side Tracked and Off Track and now I'm having to Back Track! I know I don't have to backtrack, but I think I need to - for me. My skills and ability to focus would be greatly enhanced by doing the rest of the missing blocks. My goal is to finish all the "missing blocks" for FBP, but not to stress too much about when they get finished, short of sometime this year. I'm going to attempt completing one make-up block a week. I know I don't work anyhere near as fast as Julie or Roz, so I won't be doing eight in a week! Tee hee! Sometimes I may get two, and the regular block, but I'm not out to set any speed records! The premise of the Party was/is to have fun... and that's what I'm going to do.


This first block, week 33, was actually posted Thursday at FBP... before the Friday deadline, but I didn't get it posted here. I did it in Christmas fabrics, because I didn't like one of the blocks from the NorCal BOM... my colorway will make it a Christmas Quilt using those blocks. This elegant block is called "Northumberland Star". I followed the directions exactly (yeah, unusual for me...) and found I really didn't like the inherent "Wobbly-ness" of the bias edges. I do like the overall look of the block, but I don't think I'll be making a whole quilt of them.

This next entry, week 34, is a small one (9" finished) called "Rally 'Round". Since I made two other 9" blocks in very bright juvenile fabrics (mostly froggie prints), I stayed with the theme - maybe I'll have enough small blocks for a Valley of the Moon Quilt, eh? I really liked the finished block, but I was so un-focused that I spent a LOT of quality time with my seam ripper!

Wedding Quilt

Eric and Eizabeth got married on July 3rd. I knew they were getting married sometime this summer, but I didn't know exactly when and that made it really hard to make a present for them. I wanted to do a quilt, but didn't know what sort they'd like. Then I remembered that I had a very appropriate 30's Sampler Basket UFO; it only needed a few things to make it a finished quilt and give it a great "forever home". Is that silly, to think of my quilts like they are dogs in need of homes where somebody will love them? Anyway, today I sent "Something Old, Something New" off to Eric and Elizabeth in Minnesota. I only got this partial picture because the room where I took it is really tiny, and I wanted the picture "right now"! The basket blocks alternate with the bordered nine-patches so they seem to be set on point, but they are not - I alternated the orientation of the baskets as well to make it even more informal. There are half blocks on the outside edges to make the chains more prominent. I really like the way this quilt turned out and hope they like it too... they don't know it is coming to them!

Little Quilty Bag for Design Wall Monday

When Erin goes to Kuwait we'll be able to "talk" on the computer! She got a little camera for her computer, but it didn't have any protection in the big computer bag... so I made her a little "Humbug Bag" for it! I did some straight-line quilting to make it more protective, and added a carrying handle out of the binding.


Her camera is so cute! John Lassiter (of Pixar) and company are Mac folks, and I just realized why Erin's camera looks so famliar! That is "Wall-e" poking his head out of the bag!


Since I finished Marjory's quilt (binding is all finished, too), I guess this IS what is on my design wall for Monday... or would be if I had a design wall. I'm starting a UFO tomorrow; an almost-finished table runner. I'm going to start learning machine quilting on it.