And finally......

My eighth and final finish (for now) on my 2016 Finish-A-Long list.
These were the swap blocks that I didn't use in THIS quilt.  Again, I relied on the book Setting Solutions by Sharyn Craig for inspiration using the blocks.
Last week, this wasn't even a top, so I'm amazed that I managed get it completed before the end of this month!

All of the fabrics in the top are from various Edyta Sitar lines. I used my old standby freehand quilting design--Kim Diehl Cinnamon Rolls--super fun and super fast!
The thread is a variegated Madeira #9603.

I had enough of this Robin Pandolph fabric left over from another project to use it on the back--perfect colors!   To save time I sewed my binding down by machine using a decorative feather stitch.


 I'm caught up on the 365 Challenge blocks... 

and the ThimbleCreek beachballs are complete--

I'm off to clean my house--it needs it sooo bad!!!

Linking with 2016 Finish-A-Long HERE

Another One Bites the Dust!

Less than a week ago, this was still a stack of blocks, so I'm very happy to have it all together, quilted, bound and even washed and ready to cross of my 2016 Finish-A-Long list! This was the first time I used Mountain Mist Cream Rose batting, so I was eager to see how it would crinkle up after washing and drying. It's very soft and drapes nicely--I'll use it again, for sure! 

Quilting is just wavy lines with a hook (wave) thrown in occasionally using Aurifil #2310--lots of fun to quilt since it went so fast. 

I love the little anchor fabric from Primitive Gatherings on the back!

There is the barest trace of bleeding from a few of the dark fabrics despite using several color catchers in the wash cycle. I'm going to try rewashing with even more color catchers and hope for the best, but really it probably is only noticeable if you are looking for it. 

The quilting shows up a bit better from the back.

Today has been a catch up day.
I've been working on the 365 Challenge blocks this afternoon and also these ThimbleCreek "beach-ball"blocks. I realized that I could use the Magic Eight method to make the half square triangles since there are two sets of 8 of the same color combos in each block. That made the cutting so much easier and fast--just cutting 5" squares from four fabrics for each block. I always make a test block when I deviate from the pattern instructions just in case my figures are off--sometimes my brilliant ideas aren't so brilliant!

Linking with 2016 Finish-A-Long HERE

March UFO--done!

Believe it or not (I still don't!), I finished a UFO yesterday, and another one will be finished today as soon as I get the label stitched to the back. No photos of those two quilts yet, but I do have this:

Finally, after many years, Ryokan is complete and can be checked off my 2016 Finish-A-Long list! I thought that I had taken photos when I finished Ryokan two weeks ago (wrong!) so please excuse the fold lines and the hastily taken pictures. 

I was pretty apprehensive about quilting the six inch "Cherrywood porch quilts", but they turned out to be pretty fun.
When I took the top to a long arm group meeting last year, everyone agreed that I had to should quilt each Cherrywood quilt with an individual design as if they were real quilts. So that's what I did. 

They also told me that I should change thread colors throughout the blocks--I did not do that! I think they were kidding?!?
All of the Cherrywood blocks are quilted with Signature Mother Goose--a nice tan that kind of blends in on all the colors.

The border is just piano key quilted--keepin' it simple!

I'm behind four days on the 365 Challenge blocks but my Temecula Circa 2016 block are finished--only because they use the left over HST's from the previous week! 

Linking with One Monthly Goal HERE and 2016 Finish-A-Long HERE

Slow Sunday Binding!

I'm back to working on my first quarter UFO list and finally get to check this little quilt off the 2016 Finish-A-Long list! These were some leftover blocks from my larger Paper Dolls quilt. I've been planning to put these together for our Small Quilt Auction that our guild has during our quilt show. It's a silent auction and the proceeds go to the local public television station to promote quilting programming. 

I changed up the quilting a little bit from the larger quilt. 

I randomly pulled squares from my 1.5" scrap box for the sashing--fun to use some of those up!

I have three more UFO's on my 2016 Finish-A-Long list--how many do you think I can finish in four days???
This is my Slow Sunday Stitching. Yes! I'm binding one of the three, so I'm close--so close.....
Linking with Kathy at Slow Sunday Stitching HERE 
and 2016 Finish-A-Long HERE
!

The Week that Was

I've been working furiously to get my list of UFO's for the first quarter of the year finished, and yet somehow I just had to work on the All in a Row quilt.

Here it is all quilted and bound--it's pretty rare to get a quilt done from start to finish without setting it aside to "age" for a while. 

It was pretty hard to get a decent photo--super windy day! 

The quilting is a plume pantograph called 500 Fill Power , the thread is Aurifil # 2325.

For the back, I used up some Blackbird Designs sampler fabric that I have been hoarding. Don't worry--there's plenty more!

The stitching on my T is complete....

....and it's so fun to see the first word all together. I can't wait for the next step! 

And another week of 365 Challenge block complete--all 3" blocks this time.
Back to that UFO list....

Stitch Therapy 2016

My Stitch Therapy group starts next month and I finally settled on a project: Lisa's Flower Garden from Primitive Gatherings. 

I've wanted to do this little quilt for years!  

I had purchased the Hoopla pattern, Calico Garden Quilt several years ago. It's the pattern for the original quilt by Florence Peto.  Both Calico Garden and Lisa's Garden have three inch blocks. Even though the Hoopla pattern included the applique pieces already printed on freezer paper, I decided it would be easier for the group to use the Primitive Gatherings pattern since the actual size block lay-outs are included in Lisa's Garden.

 I made a few samples from the Hoopla pattern to "entice" people to join the group:

Of course, you could do needle turn applique as the original quilt was done. My original intention was to do the quilt this way..... until I made this block. 

Embroiderers could do the designs in red work....

or if they want more color, they could crayon tint them. 

I've decided I will do my blocks with wool applique---easy peasy and lots of opportunity to do some fancy stitching like the bullion stitch I did around the center of this flower.

Our group meets at Colorz on the third Monday of April through September. I 'm very excited to start this project! Everyone has had their own "take" on every project we have done in the past and it's so thrilling to see one pattern interpreted so many ways! And for those that want some direction, Colorz owner, Denise, will be putting together some yummy wool and cotton fabrics for starter kits. It's going to be a fun little quilt to stitch up with friends!

Slow Wooly Sunday Stitching

Earlier this week I was the lucky winner of a door prize at our guild meeting.

It was suggested that I use some of this Alexander Henry fabric to make the quilt that goes inside the cup....

....but I realized that I only had a piece of this fabric--not quite the same thing! 

I ended up making my little quilt from this Timeless Treasures novelty fabric--when I'm bored, I will always have something to read--lol!

It holds a lot more liquid than my Tervis cup--I'll be well hydrated now. 

My Linen Closet baskets are finished: I had lots of stitching time at the guild meeting Monday, a sew-in on Tuesday, and Applique Group on Friday. 

I'm using my pre-cut scraps for the Temecula Circa 2016 sew along. I don't always have the ideal fabrics in the scrap boxes, but so far I'm happy with what I've been able to put together. 

Today I'll be doing some Slow Sunday Stitching on the latest Buttermilk Basin Let It Snow block. Since I've been doing my letters in blue, I was able to make my cardinal a male. I'm really loving this project! 
Linking with Slow Sunday Stitching HERE

You Must Remember This....

It's been a while since I even thought about my wool hexagons from Stitch Society--out of sight, out of mind, as they say....

Look at this!! 
No, sadly, this isn't mine--rats!
My hexagons are still in a tub.
This beauty belongs to Sandi Tundel. Sandi has been leading a group making the Stitch Society hexagons at Eagle Creek Quilt Shop. 

I had heard that Sandi had her quilt finished, and I was about to email her and beg for some photos when they popped up in my mailbox. Even though we have never met, I consider Sandi one of my friends because we are kindred spirits, for sure!

Aren't they all wonderful?
I'm reminded of  how much fun they were to make and inspired to get mine out and do something with them. 

Sandi explains how she made the top:  
Each of the wool hexagons was sewn to an individual "quiltlet" that already had batting in it and then all the individual "quiltlets" were joined together by machine.
Wowzer!

Thanks Sandi for sending me photos and allowing me to share your quilt--I love it!