Craftsy Block of the Month

Well, well, I have started another quilt! Let's see...I think that makes 3...no 4...that I am working on this year. This one I just couldn't pass up. It is a free class on www.craftsy.com and since I had lots of 30's fat quarters from birthday club at Allatoona Quilt Guild, I didn't have to go buy any fabric. I even had enough white Kona for the background--so--totally free quilt!! Well, not exactly, since technically I did pay for the fabric...but...I didn't go buy any for this quilt--just drew from my stash or "resource center". These are really easy blocks--I can knock them out in an afternoon. The top 2 are January's blocks and the bottom 2 are February's blocks. Now I have to wait 3 1/2 weeks for the March blocks *sigh*. But...on to other quilts...

The Civil War is Over!!...til further notice

Here are some pictures of my Civil War Tribute Quilt. It was a block of the month (BOM) from my local quilt store (LQS). It took me about a year to piece the whole thing. It was a gift to my dad in Minneapolis for Christmas 2010. I had it quilted by Stitch'n Quilt in MAbleton, GA and I am very pleased with the way it all turned out. It is an absolutely gorgeous quilt with, my dad estimated, over 2,000 pieces--that's about one piece for every mile of the Appalachian Trail which my dad completed at age 68 after section hiking for 3 years.
I love the half-square triangle border. And to think, I almost didn't
do that border!! This was not an easy quilt...the directions were
very confusing and hard to follow, but I struggled through and
finished it!
My dad loves it and it will be a treasured heirloom for many years
to come. It will keep him warm on those cold Minnesota nights.
And ...now...it is on to the Civil War Chronicles...another BOM from
my LQS that I picked up each month last year and will finidh it this year! This one belongs to me and Randy!!

Stamping

Yes, I have lost my mind. I fell for the Stampin' Up promotion in October and got a FREE Big Shot for becoming a demonstrator. Well, I'll sell you some stamp sets and supplies if you want, but I mostly did it to spport this crazy habit of making cards. My first attempts were not very good, but here's two birthday cards I made that turned out pretty nifty-neato! Got the ideas from DOstamping with Dawn (Olchefske).
www.dostamping.typepad.com
Check out her blog--she's got some great ideas--then come buy your supplies from me--teehee!

Now on to my next crazy project idea--quilted ornaments! Maybe I have too much time on my hands, or too many irons in the fire, or too many pins in the pin cushion! *grin*

Re: In Progress

The fabric sticking out around the rail fence border of the quilt is the backing I will use--not a wonky border!!

In Progress

After spending the last almost 2 years sewing projects for other people, I got up this morning and said to myself, "Self, its time to make something for ME!!" Sewing for other people, some paid, some gifts, is not a bad thing. It's helped me get to SOAF in Huntsville and most everyone really likes what I sew for them and I really enjoy giving away my projects because that's part of the joy of making them. But, looking at my buckets full of PHD's, I decided I need to spend a good amount of time just sewing up what I have started. So...after hemming a pair of jeans for my daughter's sister-in-law I got right on it. At lunch time, this is what I have so far. I bought the design and instructions last December in a special deal from Zundt. This is just the center of the Christmas table runner. There are 5 more borders to go on--one of which looks like a ribbon going all around the runner. That is my project for this afternoon.

Also, got my cousin's queen size log cabin quilt finished, bought the backing and am ready to take it to Shannon, the quilter (after I buy the batting). I want her to feather it. I love Shannon's feathers. Check out her work at http://www.piecefulkwilter.blogspot.com/ The quilt is Summer Lake Log Cabin from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book--love that book!

Okay..the pictures did not post like I wanted them to, but I think you can tell which is the table runner and which is the quilt!! Time to head back to the sewing room where I know what I am doing!!

Civil War Mission Accomplished!

Well, I got the blocks all sewn together, which was my goal for today!! This section is 84 X 96 1/2. Now I will put 3 borders on it, adding another 8 inches on all sides, which should bring the size to 100 X 112 1/2. The outside border consists of 204 half square triangles--oh, joy!!

I must say, this is the hardest quilt top I have ever pieced! The directions were terrible, horrible, and just plain difficult to follow. I won't even talk about the cutting directions--confusing!!! There were no finished sizes for the 9 patch squares or half square triangles in the various blocks, which makes for inaccurate piecing. I ended up cutting off lots of points, so don't look too closely. A lot of stitching was on the diagonal and you have to be careful not to stretch the fabric. There was no diagram showing how to place the blocks for sewing it all together. I just had to look at the picture of the finished quilt and match up my blocks to theirs. And for the finish, they don't even tell you how to cut the corner blocks!!

My LQS did a great job of sending out tips and tricks. Without their help, I would still be pulling my hair out.

I only had to go back for more fabric once and that was on the center square. I read the directions wrong and cut the squares too small.

On to the borders now, then off to the quilter (wish I could quilt it myself), then binding.

Stay tuned...

Civil War Tribute

The Civil War is almost finished!!!!!

Okay, I'm only 6 months behind on this, but at least I kept plodding on. This is the center of the king size Civil War Tribute Quilt--a BOM from an LQS for 2010. (That's block of the month from a local quilt store for you non quilt talkers). Isn't it pretty!?!

This center block is 36 inches square. There are 36 more blocks to the quilt...some 12 inches and some 18 inches. By the end of today, I am hoping to have all the blocks sewn together.

Stay tuned...