Hooked on Quilting

I've decided to join in the fun to do the mystery with Bonnie Hunter on her Quiltville.com blog. The photo represents my fabrics for this project. Not sure if I'll need to add to it, but that's all I have in my stash so I'll get more if I need it. Did a few of Step 1...so far behind!!!

I just wanted to say "Happy New Year" to all. Hope you have a great 2013!!! Let's get some projects done this year. I will make a list and post it so I stay accountable to you all!

Here's a scarf that I zipped up in about an hour. Easy to do. It's a bit shorter than I'd have liked, but the purple fleece wasn't quite 60" after I cut off the selvage. Maybe next time, I'll cut it the other way.  I think I need to paint the walls white as all my pics have the yellow tint to them. Of course, it's my iPhone or iPad so it's not a true camera. Not sure that would make a difference or not. LOL Could just be the photographer (me!). 

My next project that I need to finish is aprons for my granddaughter. The Dino at the bottom is the next applique project that I SHOULD be working on!! Have a wonderful holiday in case I don't get back to the blog.

Wow, sorry it's been so long since I've blogged. Been very busy with my new granddaughter!!! Anyway, I finished the Double Wedding Ring quilt and here it is!!!

I just thought I'd share because it's been so long that I am actually quilting my DWR as I am blogging. I chose a feather motif to fill the white centers and I decided that the arcs were too tiny to do continuous curve so I'm just outlining them. This is the most challenging quilt I have ever entertained doing and I'll probably take a long break before I ever do another one. LOL

I took a break from my DWR quilt. I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to quilt in the arcs. I decided to work on my Dear Jane quilt. I did A-5 Cathie's campfire. It was just a foundation pieced block that went together very easily.

Can't decide if I should cut off the top and the bottom printed border because I'm planning on using the same border fabric in a different color as the binding What do you think?

Here is a cute little Christmas panel that I purchased. It's an advent calendar with pockets for each day in December. It's really cute so there's another project to add to my list.

Finally, it is a flimsy! All paper piecing paper has been removed. Tomorrow, I will press it and get it ready to quilt. I will have to do an awful lot of checking for strings because the strings will show through the white. I still have to cut the background fabric and piece it. Then I have the binding to cut and piece together and sew it on, but I'm getting so close now. I'm very excited, aren't you glad that you won't have to see any more of these progress pics?

Way back in June 2010, I started this Schnibbles quilt called, "No Way" and I am just now finishing putting the blocks in rows. It's been on my design wall since then and I've been sewing it when I found time. I used this as a leaders and enders for my DWR as I sewed the four patches together.

I really haven't done any scrappy quilts--yet!! I have always been leery of choosing fabrics so almost all of the quilts I decided to make are kits. That said, I'm really learning so many tips from Bonnie K Hunter's Cam Time . Bonnie is a scrap quilter and is very smart and entertaining!!! She just chats away as she works and stops to share all kinds of information. She stops periodically to answer emails and that's fabulous. Usually someone has asked the same exact question I had!! She may soon convince me that I'm not color challenged. <grin> Bonnie has a leaders and enders scrap system that, when/if I ever get quilts completely done and am sure I won't need the leftover fabric, I plan to implement. There's no hard and fast rule when she turns on her Web cam, so check back often. I always seem to chat about my projects, but Bonnie said she likes to also read about what else we do. So I thought I'd share that I'm actively trying to lose ...

I'm really excited that I'm almost finished this Double Wedding Ring quilt. It was a REAL challenge and one I won't try again for a long while. It was so hard to stay focused on this quilt top because there was so many little pieces and then there was so many big pieces and all curved!!! It would have been so easy to fold this one up and "bin" it!! It's a gift, so I can't.  Now, I have to sew the four patches together and then I'll really have to decide how to quilt it. I just upgraded my HQ16 and it's so fancy now, dare I practice on this quilt top? Maybe I'll practice on muslin first. Any quilting suggestions?  I've been looking at finished DWR quilts so if you see one you love, could you pass the link to me? Might just do feathers if no one comes up with a better idea. <grin>  I'm still ripping out the paper-dread that job. I have to iron it all and clip the threads on the back because they will show through the white ...

Here's a photo of my DWR saga. I have finished pretty much half of the quilt, maybe. Unfortunately, my Oliso iron died on Tuesday. I have replaced it with the newer yellow version. I found a tutorial for the DWR that is amazing. Here's the link to Caroljoy's tutorial .

Decided the baby rickrack was too small and too white. Changed it to the medium-sized green rickrack. Better?

Last night while I was working on my latest Dino, I realized that I had chosen white rickrack and it's really very close to the background and you can barely see it. Should I change the color of the rickrack? What do you think?

Did a little more work on the DWR quilt. Check it out to be sure that my four patches are alternating. Not exactly sure how many rows that I'll need to make it a queen sized quilt.

I have decided to resurrect the Dear Jane quilt that I did as a BOM, I think I started it in 2009. I think I had started quilting maybe a year before that and was overzealous. I have a huge bin of envelopes so I think it was a two-year BOM. I hope to do at least one block a week and work on it steadily with all my other current projects.

I finally decided on the two colors for the four-patch block that goes in the DWR. I was going to go assorted prints, but decided I needed a little bit of control. Here's a pic, I think I will do the binding in the green.

I decided that I have to keep track of all my current projects. Posting them to this blog will keep me on track and I'll update the list as I progress. At least, I hope I make some headway on each project. 1. Double wedding ring quilt - finish piecing 2. Spot quilt - rip out some spots and quilt again 3. Brown bear - finish binding 4. King-sized black and white quilt need to rip out some spots and quilt again 5. Dino Quilt -Appliqué the next block 6. Alphabet beanbags - need to trace letters 7. Alphabet panel quilt - need to decide which quilting design to use 8. Baltimore Christmas - this is a BOM 9. Baltimore Halloween - this is a BOM 10. Baltimore Liberty - this is a BOM 11. Shabby Fabrics houses - this is a BOM 12. Vintage Valentine - this is a BOM 13. Jungle Wall Hanging - Start it!!! 14. Dear Jane - decide next block to work on (any one of the 200+ to go!) Wow, this is a huge list of current projects. Maybe I'll move a few to UFOs.

Finally got around to appliquéing another Dino for the quilt. That's two!!!!

Here's a bunch more DWR arcs, not trimmed yet!

I’m participating in Friday Night Sew In for the first time. I have a ton of Double Wedding Ring arcs to do and tonight is a great time to finish them. If you want to join in, you can sign up at  Handmade by Heidi . Here's what I have so far and getting a very late start:

I did a couple more arcs last night and I'm hoping that I'll make even headway today. Enjoy.

I finally started on my DWR! I've cut a bunch of fabrics and am randomly adding them. I will stop soon and start sewing the melons to be sure they work!!! I apologize for not posting more, but have not been sewing lately. Too hot in my studio and lots of family visits!!!

I also host this quilt on my appliqué Yahoo group and this is block 4, Firecracker Wreath, which we were to have finished in May. Again, I'm going to have to move on to block 5 with the rest of the group. This is really going to be quite simple the next time I pick up each block because I have prepped most of them. Life just keeps getting in the way.

This is my block for the month of May-unfinished block, I should say. This is block 6, Christmas Bouquet and I am doing it with an appliqué Yahoo group. We have moved on to block 7, so I'll have to put this aside for a while and I'll get to it when I can or maybe we will do another round for each month.

I belong to a Yahoo group that focuses on appliqué. I hostess this particular quilt and this is my block 6 for the month of May. I did not get as much progress done as I'd hoped. We have decided to move on to block 7. Here's how I'm leaving this block so I'll know where I left off when I pick it up again. LOL

I decided to take a practice run at the DWR. I used scraps for the trial run. I cut up the pattern to see if I could use 2" strips and it looks like that should be enough to paper piece it. I just used muslin for the melons, but I think I'll order some white for the real quilt.

Here's another block From another BOM that I'm hosting on an appliqué Yahoo group. It's the Heart Bouquet block and it's got a cute little flag in the shape of a heart. Again, it is not stitched, just prepped. It seems it takes more than a month for me to do a block with this many pieces.

I am hosting a couple of BOM's on an appliqué Yahoo group. This is block #5. My job is to assign a block per month for those working on this particular quilt to complete. As hostess, I'm probably expected to finish, but I have yet to complete an assignment!!! LOL This was March's assignment. Sadly, I did not complete the block in March so I deemed April as the catch up month to give us more time to finish it. Not everything is stitched and of those pieces that aren't stitched, some need more prep work. I really do need the practice, but I feel I'm getting a little better.

Here's my latest little project for my grandson and it's been in the queue for quite awhile. I'm going to try to do a row or two this morning

Here's the second block in my Dino quilt that I'm working on. It still has to be appliquéd, but I'm making progress!

Well, I actually finished putting on the binding of Brown Bear, Brown Bear. This has been a long day but I'm still very excited about finishing something. I'll work on hand-sewing the binding this week.

Here's a photo of the finished block. I still need to do the embroidery of the eyes and mouth. But I've gone ahead and sewn the strip that's next to it.

I'm creating a quilt for my grandson from the Dinosaurs, Stomp, Chomp and Roar pattern by Pam Manning. This is my first block - a pteranodon. We are also making pillow shams, a wall hanging and two valances for his room.

Thought I'd write my first post with my new iPad that has dictation so maybe now I'll post more often. So easy. What do you think of the picture quality? Take notice that the Spot quilt is unfinished. Lol - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Now, I have To decide how to attach them to my HQ16 leaders. Of course, I have to finish my "Spot" quilt first.

My DIL has asked to make her a DWR reproduction quilt. The Accuquilt cutter has dies, but only six segments and the old-time quilts all seemed to have more. In search of a pattern, I discovered I wanted the book, Rings That Bind by Cheryl Phillips. According to the YouTube.com video, I'd need the "stuff" that comes with it! If search of the book, I discover it's out of print and there's none to be had. So, back to my dilemma...what now? Here's some fabrics to start:

I decided to join the Shabby Fabrics Mystery BOM. I didn't seem to have much in suitable fabric, so I ordered their program. Got the house finished today, sans the roof!!!

This is another Baltimore-style quilt I'm working as a BOM. Tons of small pieces and my first flowery appliqué. Pieces are somewhat prepped, but I've made the least progress on this one. Just wish there were more hours in a day!

Here's February's Block Four, Snowman Wreath. I have everything prepped, almost and this is a rough placement. I'll continue to work on it, but I will probably move on to the March block and work pieces in as I go along. Wish me luck!

I'm really into hand-appliqué right now. I decided to do a lot of the Baltimore style quilts since I love the little pieces! Crazy, I know! I am doing a Baltimore Halloween as a self-imposed (along with my Yahoo group). It's a pattern by Pearl P. Pereira. It's Block Four, Hats and Cats for February. I've done everything but the embroidery.