My New Favoritist Quilt

Okay, so that title isn't grammatically correct, but this it is my most favorite quilt to date. It was simple, easy, and the pattern lets the fabrics speak for themselves. And I'm going to keep this just for me!

This is one of the projects that I started in the quest to Make All The Quilts That I've Already Bought Fabric and Patterns For.  I'm not sure I'm the only one, but I seem to have a bit of a problem that is akin to people over-filling their plates - my eyes are bigger than my stomach is!  When I find a really good deal on fabric, or kits, or patterns, my mind races to the possibilities. So I buy it, and then it sits. And sits. And sits. Sometimes for a good long time.

This quilt sat for two years. Then it moved out of hiding to sit on my cutting table, uncut fabric and pattern, and there it sat for, oh, about 9 months.

Auditioning thread - I chose a teal Magnifico, a #40 thread by Superior Threads. I used an off-white in the white blocks.

This was the first project that I started after my retirement this spring. I had been drooling over the teal and dark gray and yellow for so many months, that I just had to get it sewn up! And once I got the top sewn, the quilting went rather quickly.

Here's a photo of the back. The pattern was a little odd to follow (I would have written it much differently), and so I ended up with lots of chopped off pieces. I turned these into a random patchwork, added my original backing fabric and a splash of the yellow. I do like the way the back turned out, too.

Oh - when it came to quilting, I had aspired to do some inventive FMQ. I started on the upper right hand corner with a design I drew that resembled the paisley fabric.  I didn't trace it on the fabric, I just eye-balled the design as I was quilting. However, it merely blended away into the fabric. SO not worthy to repeat that process throughout the quilt, so I'm calling that right-hand corner my Signature Block because I really didn't want to rip it out. The ultimate design element.  End of that story!

I did enjoy sitting in the evenings hand-stitching the binding down. Now this fun lap quilt is thrown over the back of our couch, and I look forward to snuggling in it this winter.

But before winter gets here, I snapped a photo of some violets that were blooming among the strawberry plants.  The purple and hint of yellow looked so fresh against the green, that I almost thought it was spring!

So, one project down. On to the next. Hmmmm, I wonder what that will be?

Quilting with a smile,
Barb

Linking up with:
Linky Tuesday
Sew Cute Tuesday
TGIFF
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop
Show Off Saturday
Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday

It's Time!

I have missed my little blog spot, here in the Quilting Universe! I believe it's high time to get back to putting words to paper and sharing a little bit of my corner of the world with you!

2016 has been quite a year for me. First, a total knee replacement in March. Then, after 17 years, my retirement from my Day Job and training of my replacement, transitioning from Working My Day Job at Home to just quilting (pure joy!), and all along the way, working with my daughter plan her wedding which is coming up October 1, which if any of you have experienced this, it has potential to make blood pressure go up!

Whew! Makes me tired just writing about all that.  But in retrospect, even though I've had some problems with the knee replacement recovery, it has been a good year so far!

I'm spending most of my time in my sewing studio, which is a pure joy for me! These photos are a sampling of what I've been up to this summer.

I've even had time to rearrangement my thread storage - how awesome is that!

So, even though I am beyond busy throughout September, I want to make my blog a regular part of my quilting life again. Join me, if you will, as I love to have company along for the journey!


Quilting with a smile,


Barb

Linking up with:
Quilt Fabrication Midweek Makers
Linky Tuesday
Needle and Thread Thursday
Let's Bee Social
TGIFF 
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop 

Nighttime Blossoms Quilt Finished!

Are you motivated by deadlines? I know I am. Big time! I have a knee replacement surgery coming up next week, so I have been busy around the house, and at my work, trying to take care of projects that I don't want to think about when I'm recovering. You know, like the dust on top of the refrigerator, or the recycling bins overflowing, or the sack of goods that needs to be taken to the thrift shop, or several of my quilting projects that have had to take a backseat to my daily life!

This is one of the more fun projects I have worked on in quite a while. The pattern is Nighttime Blossoms by Cynthia Brunz Designs. It was featured in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts' Fall 2015 edition.

This was a fairly fast, fun and easy quilt to put together!  I used a layer cake of Amy Butler's True Colors and some dark navy blue Kona for the background. I love the way the white centers and diamonds really pop against that background.

I liked the pink and green patterned design in the center of the photo above, so much so that I made the backing entirely of that fabric.

I followed Cynthia's quilting with spirals in the navy background and wavy lines radiating through the blossoms. I left the white alone so it would pop!

This was such a great pattern to use for fat quarters or your stash. Each fabric is distinctive in its own right, so it is showcased in each blossom.

I am tickled to have this finished. I began stitching it together at our guild's retreat in October, and now am pleased to have it all quilted and bound. Makes me happy looking at it, and it will be a great quilt to snuggle in. 

Quilting with a smile,
Barb

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday,  Sew Cute Tuesday Linky Tuesday

ALYOF 2015 Comes to an End

A funny thing happens over the course of a year. You work on projects, and they're given away, or put to use, or sold, or stashed in a closet. And you forget how many you've actually completed.

After making this collage for the finale of A Lovely Year of Finishes, I was delighted to revisit some of these quilts I've made this year. And, putting them into a collage, it looks pretty sweet!

I only completed 6 months worth of goals this year, but I'm okay with that. It's probably five more than I would have completed without the Goal Setting motivation of ALYOF. I want to thank Melissa and Shanna for sponsoring this the past three years - THANK YOU!  We look forward to seeing what else you fine ladies might have up your sleeves.

Here are the links to my finishes:
January:  Goal and Finish
February:  Goal and Finish
April:  Goal and Finish
June:  Goal and Finish
July:  Goal and Finish
October: Goal and Finish

Well, shoot - guess I didn't link up my April finish.  But I completed it anyway. Oh, well, time always seems to get in the way. I'm still glad that I got six goals completed so I could work on other projects. It's all good!

Happy New Year to everyone, and thanks again, Melissa and Shanna, for all your efforts.

Quilting with a smile,
Barb

Snowman Table Runner, Hopefully Finished by Christmas

This is going to be the quickest blog post ever.  While I was cleaning out my closet, I found this great snowman table runner that I started about 5 years ago. I got to the point of putting on all the little, teeny, tiny eyes - and abruptly stopped. I couldn't find small enough buttons, so I got some blacks beads. I'll give that a try.

 

So my goal for December is to get all the snowmen's faces sewn on, and put on their happy little carrot noses.  I know that's not a finish, but realistically, I don't think I can get it quilted and bound by Dec. 31.  Why? My kids are coming home for Christmas (big smiles over here!!!), and my in-laws will be here (more big smiles), and mass confusion will abound (LOTS of big smiles). So that gives me only a week to do this.

Happy holidays, everyone!
Barb
ALYOF

Halloween Treats and ALYOF Finish!

I did it! I completed my Triangle Quilt. I actually had it done almost two weeks ago, but with my busy work schedule this month, I am just not getting this post written. Just in the nick of time!

This was definitely a project that needed finishing! I started along in the spring of 2014 with The Sassy Quilter's Triangle Quiltalong. But starting was about as far as I got on it.  For about eight months I had the fabric starched and ironed and sitting in a pile in my sewing studio.  I'd move it from place to place because it was always in the way. What a pain!

One day I decided to cut out the triangles. That made the whole project much more Out-Of-My-Face. But it also made it Out-Of-My-Mind and I forgot about it.

 

So then the summer of 2015 came along.  I decided it was high time to tackle this project.  I had always wanted to do a triangle quilt, and I felt badly that I totally missed the mark with the QAL.  So I set it as my August goal for ALYOF.

But did I do then? Nope. Didn't touch it.  Oh, woe is me! Too much drama was going on with my Day Job, and so I basically put all my quilting and long arming on the back burner until things settled down. Doing two jobs at once is very taxing, especially when one of those jobs deals with tax accountants day in and day out! (Inside business humor there.)

So, when October came along, I decided to go for it again.  We had our guild's annual Quilt Retreat and so I took this as my project.  I'm proud to say, that I completely finished piecing it at the retreat. I brought it home, loaded it up, and got it quilted with a fun wavy edge-to-edge free motion design.  For the back I just pieced my leftovers.

Tah, dah! That was my goal. Maybe this month I'll get the binding on, but I'm not counting on it. I'm scheduled to do a Christmas Bazaar the first weekend in December, so I'm sewing like mad to get some new products sewn up to include in that show.

It's always something, isn't it? That's what makes life fun. 

So while we're speaking of October, I'll just throw in this fun photo I snapped when we were out golfing a couple of weeks ago. I can't take photos to really capture the true beauty of the area in which I live, but I always try.  This was the view we had as we teed off one of the fairways at the Elkhorn Golf Course. Just lovely.

And since it's Halloween, I'll wish you all a hauntingly good day! And with the clocks going back an hour tonight, just think! We'll have an extra hour to quilt tomorrow. Life is good.

Quilting with a smile,

Barb

Linking up to:  ALYOF

Oh! Scrap

Fabric Tuesday

Sew Cute Tuesday
Linky Tuesday
Needle and Thread Thursday

October Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes

I started out this post in a very negative fashion, realizing that I hadn't finished my August Goal for ALYOF. Shoot - I didn't even pick up that project and work on it!

All of that made me feel bad, to notice the shortcomings in my life. But then I did a swift kick to my brain, erased what I wrote, and restructured my thinking to "So what, Barb, if you didn't do what you intended. Life gets in the way. Deal with it, and move on."

So I am moving on to declare an October Goal for ALYOF. Go, me!

I've been rather slow on getting my triangle quilt together. I originally started it as part of the Sassy Quilter's Triangle Quilt Along in the spring of 2014. Oops. I really wanted to do a triangle quilt. Now I am!  I spent the weekend at a quilting retreat with some good friends and got a lot of progress on my version of a triangle quilt. 

So, with three weeks left in the month, I am going to set my goal as getting the quilt top finished and quilted.  I'm not going to go as far as to say I will get it bound by Oct. 31. Don't want to get too crazy! But I will have it quilted.

Whew - that feels good to set a goal, and aim to get it accomplished. 

Quilting with a smile,
Barb

ALYOF