Leona's Quilting Adventure

January Bee Blocks go in the Mail!

2012-01-29T16:03:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday afternoon! Most of the weekend has been filled with sewing Bee Blocks and Swap Blocks for the month of January. The completed blocks will go out in tomorrow's mail! The first two pictured blocks are for Mary from the Block Party Bee on flickr. The Block Party Bee is alot of fun. We are using the book "Block Party, The Modern Quilting Bee" each month. Mary chose a String X Block and each Bee member is making two blocks for her. Mary picked really cool fabrics to have her blocks made!

The next two blocks are for Melissa from the Mod Mosaic Bee. This is the first month for the Mod Mosaic Bee. Mosaic Blocks are made from Elizabeth Hartman's Mosaic Pillow Tutorial. Melissa requested monochromatic Mosaic Blocks. She is receiving two blue blocks from me.

Block 2 for Melissa, Mod Mosaic Bee on flickr

For the Sew & Bee Happy Bee on flickr, Cindy requested a Stargazing Block from the book "Modern Blocks, 99 Quilt Blocks from Your Favorite Designers." This block was a bit complicated to construct and took several hours to make. I used scraps to make the three wonky stars in the block. It turned out really cool!

There is one more block going out in tomorrow's mail for Nancy of the Block Swap Adventure. Nancy requested a Bears Paw block in Red and Cream colors. My blocks for the Aqua and Red Bee on Flickr will be finished some time this week and mailed by weeks end. Well, time to make some dinner. Have a Happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!

Winner! Sometimes being Number 2 Means being Number 1....

2012-01-29T11:18:00.001-05:00

Seven days ago I wrote a post for the winner of my 900 Follower Giveaway. I had a no reply blogger win in the random number generator. A no reply blogger is someone who keeps their settings private in Blogger. There was no way to contact her, so I wrote a post and waited seven days for her to contact me! The seven days have passed and there has been no reponse.
The purpose of this blog post is announce a new winner of my 900 Follower Giveaway! So being the number two choice really makes the new winner Number One!
The new winner is:
Sallie of the Sallie's Sampler Blog
Sallie said...
Congratulations! I'm a happy follower. Thanks for the giveaway!
January 7, 2012 9:37 PM

CONGRATULATIONS SALLIE! I WILL EMAIL YOU FOR YOUR ADDRESS!

Have a very Happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!!
PS..Be sure to scroll down and enter for a chance to win 2 really cool patterns in my sponsored giveaway from Kat!

Flutter from.Kat Pattern Giveaway...

2012-01-28T11:06:00.002-05:00

Happy Saturday! I am a little late in writing this post because I had to think about what to say. I met my friend Kat through the Sew & Bee Happy Bee on flickr. They had a member drop out last year and I was lucky enough to replace her. My friend Kat has a blog called Mummas Time to Create. She is super creative and it has been just so much fun to get to know her! We share a crazy love for modern fabrics and have mailed so many packages back and forth filled with fabric and scraps. I have loved reading her blog posts and watching her create so many fantastic projects!

Kat lives in Australia and has an Etsy Shop called Flutter from Kat. Over the past year I have oogled at her projects that she completed on her blog and was so excited to see she made several of her projects into patterns for everyone to recreate and enjoy over and over again! The patterns are available for purchase in her Etsy Shop as PDF files.

As a special gift to one lucky follower of my blog, Kat is generously giving away one copy of each of the yummy patterns pictured below!

The first pattern is of an uber cool Scrappy Pouch!

The second pattern is an easy to construct and beautiful to enjoy Zipper Pouch!

The patterns are easy to follow and go together quickly for the construction of the pouches! Winning this giveaway is easy peasy:

1. Be a follower of my blog or become a new follower!

2. Visit Kat's Blog and become a new follower! Then leave a post here.

3. Visit Kat's Etsy Shop and leave a comment on my blog about what you like!

4. If you facebook, follow Kat on facebook and leave a comment on this post.

5. Leave a comment about whether you have made a zipper pouch or a Velcro pouch before.

6. Blog or tweet about this giveaway for another entry!

THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012 AT MIDNIGHT EASTERN STANDARD TIME! THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012.

Many hugs a cross the miles to Kat! Thank you for sponsoring this giveaway! Have a very Happy Saturday and Happy Quilting!

Saturday Stash Report on a Wednesday?

2012-01-25T19:25:00.000-05:00

Happy Wednesday!! I haven't written a Saturday Stash Report in a while. Traditions are sometimes meant to be broken...So here goes! I have been working on this acquisition for a while. The Moda Charm Packs and Jelly Rolls have come from Corri's Etsy Shop, QuiltTaffy. The Michael Miller Couture Solids in Charm Packs were purchased at a shop in Mercer, Pennsylvania called the Gallery. Just yummy and so much fun to look at!

The Michael Miller Couture solids were purchased to sort out and use in various Bees and swaps throughout the year. The solids are bright and the fabric is soft and gorgeous! From Moda, I have been oogling over Aneela Hoey's "a walk in the woods line." (I also purchased a fat eighth bundle of a walk in the woods.) Pezzy Prints and Half Moon Modern bring color pallets of very bright, primary colors to my stash!

I love the versatility of charm packs and jelly rolls to created with! It saddens me sometimes when I run out of a particular charm pack or jelly roll. Especially if the colors are as vibrant and cheerful as these fabrics!

It was so exciting to receive this box of goodies. The fabrics were all from designers that I love and Moda makes everything look so pretty! My next big purchase will be the re release of Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy fabrics in March sometime! 2012 will be a great year for sewing! Have a Happy Wednesday and Happy Quilting!

Saturday Stash; My Reading List...

2012-01-21T18:16:00.003-05:00

Happy Saturday again! Do you have books that inspire you as a quilter? There are so many blogs online that have great tutorials and I go back to them over and over again. But for me there just is something about a good book that leads me back again and again to read over and over...

I have two big book shelves filled with art books, sewing books, magazines and quilting books. The books that I love to read over and over again for instruction and inspiration are pictured below.

The leap to Modern Quilting is fairly new for me. My brain relates to the perfect wonky imperfections of Modern Quilting. The books on my reading list are:

Fresh Quilting by Malka Dubrawsky

Thinking Outside the Block by Sandy Cummings

The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartmann

Liberated Quiltmaking by Gwen Marston

Create your Own Free Form Quilts by Rayna Gillman

Stratavarious Quilts by Barbara Pershing and Mary Hoover

Block Party The Modern Quilting Bee

The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking by Jane Brocket

There are also several books on my list to acquire this year:

Modern Blocks:99 Blocks by Your Favorite Designers by Susan Woods

Intuitive Color and Design; Adventures in Art Quilting by Jean Wells

Ideas and Inspirations; Abstract Quilts in Solids by Gwen Marston

Gee's Bend; The Architecture of a Quilt

Quilting Modern; Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts by Jacquie Gering

Nancy Crow by Nancy Crowe

Do you have books that you go back to over and over again? What is your favorite reading list for quilting and inspiration? Do you like Modern or Traditional blocks? What will be your inspiration for 2012? Quilting is all about being creative and having fun! It would be awesome to learn more about what inspires you!! Well I better get back to sewing for now! Happy Saturday and Happy Quilting!

Winner!!! 900 Follower Giveaway!!!

2012-01-21T10:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Saturday everyone! The mailman will be very busy this week! 18 packages are going out in the mail this month to members of my birthday club! Happy Birthday to everyone that is participating and has a birthday in January! May the coming year be filled with many happy quilting days! I received an email from Superior Threads. They supply the luscious King Tut threads for machine quilting! A ten pound box of thread is on its way to me to share with members of the Birthday Club this year! Thank you so much Superior Threads!
The winner of my 900 follower giveaway is a no reply blogger. Her post is:
Laurie T said...Wow! This has got to be the best giveaway yet! I have too many UFO's to count this year! 2 wedding quilts and another one to start ... a bd quilt for a little girl ... a xmas quilt not finished this year :( ... a quilt with my guild ... and hopefully a birdie quilt! ;) Thanks for the chance to win!
January 8, 2012 11:05 AM
Laurie T...you will have to contact me! Leave a comment on this post with your email address or email me directly through my blogger profile...You will have 7 days to email me and then your prize will have to be awarded to another entrant...(if I do not hear from you!)
For those of you who have your blogger settings as private, I am asking you to make them public...It is very difficult to email you if you are a no reply blogger...
This weekend for me is filled with a trip to the post office today, some laundry and then sewing!! (Time to complete the rest of the Bee Blocks!) I hope that you have a happy Saturday and Happy Quilting!!

4 X 5 Bee Blocks Ready to Mail!

2012-01-15T22:56:00.001-05:00

Time to get back in the swing of things with Swaps and Bee Blocks for 2012! The first set of blocks going out in the mail are for the 4 X 5 Modern Quilt Bee on flickr! This Bee is a quarterly bee that you rejoin every three months. There are six people in each "hive" that you swap blocks with. Each Bee member fills out a survey with color choices and then blocks are made with fabrics from modern designers. The 4 X 5 Bee is alot of fun to participate in. The five Wonky Star blocks pictured are being mailed to the Bee members on Tuesday morning:

Jess's Block

Jill's Block

Laura's Block

Michelle's Block

Naomi's Block

There are still many Bee blocks left to complete this month and blocks for swaps. I really am looking forward to the coming year and learning many new techniques. Much of my sewing will be done on the weekends when I am not working. Well, I better get some sleep. Work begins tomorrow at 7:30 AM! Have a Happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!

900 Follower Giveaway!!

2012-01-07T20:18:00.003-05:00

Happy Saturday!! Happy New Year!! Before I write about the 900 Follower Giveaway, I wanted to let you know that several sponsors have joined "The Birthday Club Giveaway" The Fat Quarter Shop has generously donated one $25 gift certificate to be given away each month!! This gift certificate will mail out to one lucky person each month as part of their birthday gift!! There are several other sponsors that are donating items to send out in the gift packs. Their names will be revealed in future posts! I will try to include handmade goodies from me, whenever possible. The survey form is still open on the previous post, so be sure to add your name to be included in the monthly mailings! The January Birthday mailing will go out on Friday, January 20th!!
I started my new job this week! Yay!! It is so much fun to be back at work and selling a product that I am familiar with! The weather this week started out cold with a bit of snow, then quickly warmed up to 50 degrees! It was a bit scary to drive home from work because I didn't know what to expect on the roads. I moved pretty slow and probably made the people behind me mad, but oh well!! My car goes in the shop for a yearly state inspection on Tuesday. (My sister will be taking me back and forth to work on Tuesday)
This giveaway is to celebrate 946 followers!! WOW!! Thank you for following my blog!! 2012 should be a year filled with so many Quilting Adventures for all of us. Hopefully we will get to know each other better and continue on with our friendships as the year progresses. This month's giveaway will have one lucky winner that will receive :

Five Assorted Cuts of MODA Birdie Fabric and one Yummy Panel, by Me and My Sister Designs. This fabric is OOP and very hard to find!

Four Packages of Artgirlz Wool Felt Precuts. Very fun for Crafty Projects.

One Aurifil Wool Color Chart and Several Spools of Aurifil Wool Thread!

One Copy of "Spring Cleaning" by Atkinson Designs filled with some really fun projects for Quilts and Table runners!!

Entering this giveaway is easy peasy!!

1. You must be a follower of my blog or become a new follower on the sidebar.

2. Please blog about this giveaway and leave a comment for a second entry. (if you don't have a blog, read #3 for another chance to win!)

3. Leave another post if you made a New Year's Resolution..or if you didn't make a resolution, let me know how many UFOs you plan to tackle this year..!!

This giveaway will end Friday January 20, 2012 at midnight eastern standard time..Winner will be announced on Saturday, January 21, 2012!

I am off to do some sewing...Happy Saturday and Happy Quilting!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!

Birthday Club Giveaway...

2011-12-20T11:16:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! The holidays and end of year are upon us! I would like to begin a Happy Birthday Club Giveaway to you, my followers! Our birthdays are the most important single event that we each experience every year!
During your birthday month, I will be send out a birthday card and a small gift to commemorate your special day and let you know that I am thinking of you! This is just my way of saying thank you for following my blog and another way to Pay it Forward. Your gift will be Quilt related and may be fabric, notions or a pattern!
Please leave a note on this post to let me know that you filled out the form! Happy Tuesday and Happy Quilting!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. ALL FOLLOWERS WHO FILLED OUT THE SURVEY FORM FOR 2012 WILL RECEIVE MAIL FROM ME DURING THEIR BIRTHDAY MONTH! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS MY BLOG AND HAS ENTERED THIS BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

Winner! Sew Cal Girls Accuquilt Christmas Themed Blog Hop!

2011-12-18T21:13:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! The winner of Sew Cal Gal's Accuquilt Christmas Themed Blog Hop is:
mblittle5 said...
I'm a follower. Merry Christmas!
mblittle5 will receive the wonky star, enough precut fabrics to make several more wonky stars, three holiday fat quarters and some notions! I will email you for your address! Congratulations!!

Happy Quilting everyone!

They Say Every Quilt Has a Story...

2011-12-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope that your week has been filled with alot of fun! There were so many giveaways to enter for the different Blog Hops! It was an amazing adventure to visit so many new blogs and see the beautiful projects that they are creating! My google reader and list of blogs that I now follow grew immensely!

I made a baby quilt about a year ago for one of my customers when I was living in Florida. Made with Moda's Birdie fabrics by Me and My Sister's Designs, this quilt was crib size and very cute!

I received an email in January from a lady in Kentucky that saw my quilt online and wanted me to make a double size version the Birdie Quilt. We corresponded back and forth through email and the adventure to make the quilt began! This quilt is the first quilt that I was actually paid to make. My brain which usually gives away quilts had to re adjust to actually get paid for making a quilt! The adjustment was difficult for me and at the same time flattering!

The double size quilt took me until yesterday to finish. It was a simplistic sectional D9P, sashed with white Kona fabric, which should have been done in a flash, but I derailed myself with various projects. It was a very strange feeling to be getting paid for something that I normally would just give as a gift! Additionally, as you know I had moved from Florida to Pennsylvania and there with so many changes in my life over the past year I had trouble finding my focus to complete the quilt. I just could not make my myself move as quick as I should have on this quilt!

While working on the binding I felt a huge sense of relief and accomplishment. I am a slow sewer when it comes to handwork, so for several mornings I got up at three a.m., and worked on the binding!

The double in size Birdie Quilt went out in yesterday's Priority Mail and will arrive on her doorstep on Monday morning! Hopefully she will be pleased with the bright colors and cheerful look of the quilt. (and overlook that it took me nearly a year to finish it)
The fabrics are now OOP (out of print) and hard to find. From my stash I posted a jelly roll, honey bun and some charm packs for sale to destash in my Etsy Shop. They are all Moda's Birdie Fabrics by Me and My Sister's Designs. The winner from Sew Cal Gal's Accuquilt blog hop will be posted later today when I return from work! The packages for all of the winners from both giveaways will go out in Friday's mail! Thank you for following my blog and Happy Quilting!!

Winner!!! Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!!

2011-12-16T06:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday everyone!! I was amazed at the response to the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!! Happy Holidays Everyone!! Due to the overwhelming response I thought I would announce two winners instead of one! The first winner will receive the published giveaway and the second winner will receive a surprise package from me!
The winner of the Mary Englebreight Charm Pack and the two yards of OOP fabrics is:
Christine M said...
My favourite colour is red. Thanks for the chance.
December 12, 2011 3:38 PM
The second prize winner is:
Hilachas said...
My favorite color is turquoise. Thanks for the opportunity to win your giveaway.
December 12, 2011 11:19 AM
Congratulations Ladies!! I will email you for your mailing addresses!! Please be sure to enter my other Giveaway! Winner for the other Giveaway will be announced on Sunday!! Happy Friday and Happy Quilting!!

SewCalGal's Accuquilt Themed Blog Hop & Giveaway!!

2011-12-13T14:01:00.010-05:00

Hello everyone! I am sorry for the late post for SewCalGal's Accuquilt Themed Blog Hop! My original post was lost somewhere in Blogger! A special thank you to Darlene (SewCalGal) and the people at Accuquilt that are giving away a Baby Go Cutter for this event! I own a full sized Go Cutter and a multitude of dies! My Go Cutter is my constant companion for the many block swaps that I participate in. It saves me time and helps improve my accuracy in cutting my projects!

Today we are going to do a Wonky Star Tutorial using Holiday Fabrics! At the end of the tutorial is a Giveaway to participate in and a link to take advantage of the chance to win the Baby Go! I will be using the 2 1/2" Multi Fabric Cutting Die! This die is awesome! You can cut multiple 2 1/2" squares which are great for nine patch blocks, D9P Blocks and can be used as components in many other blocks.
The 2 1/2" squares that are cut in this post will be used to make Wonky Star Blocks! Wonky Star blocks are fun to make, can be assembled very quickly and can be theme centered, or scrappy. Your imagination can make your block exciting or traditional! It's all up to you!

The three fabrics used in the Wonky Stars have been cut to 8 1/2" to accommodate the size of the die.

The three layers of fabrics are placed on top of the die

A Go Cutting Mat will run through the the Go Cutter and produce perfectly cut 2 1/2"" Squares.

As we begin our Wonky Star Block we will use 8 white blocks (background blocks), and five print colored blocks. For your print colored blocks choose two of your first print choice (mine was Red) and three of a second print (mine

was green) The prints that you choose for your Wonky Star will make your four
star points!

Set aside four of the white squares and on of the green squares. These squares will be your four cornerstones and center block.

Cut the remaining four, 2 1/2" Print Squares in half diagonally.

The squares can then be matched up in sets to begin your star points.

Place one print triangle with one white square. (RST, right sides together) Placing the triangle at different angles on the block will create the wonkiness in the star. It is also very fun to create this block because you don't have to be a perfect stitcher!

Sew a 1/2" Seam along the angle of your print. Repeat this with three more white/print combinations. You will have four triangles remaining.

Following the angled line that you have created, trim away the excess white fabric.

Repeat this process with the three other block sections.

Press your print fabric with open seams. Do not trim the excess fabric away.

With RST, place a triangle at an angle on the block. Once again, you choose the wonkiness by adjusting the degree of the angle.

Sew with RST with a 1/4" seam allowance, along the angle of the triangle.

Trim away the excess material by using the angle that you have sewn as a guide for cutting.

Repeat with the other three blocks and they should all look like this.

Press your seams open on the back and then press flat on the front.

Trim along the straight white edge of both sides of your block to square up the block.

Line up the white end of the block and cut the bottom edge to 2 1/2 inches.

Repeat with the remaining star points. Your block is beginning to look like a wonky star!

Sew your three rows together.

I like to trim away on the edges of the rows to make everything straight. It aids in the accuracy when you begin to pin and sew the rows together.

Pin the bottom section to the middle section. Match your seams as closely as possible. This is a wonky star block and if the seams are a bit off, it's ok! This adds to the wonkiness!!

Sew the top row to the middle row. Press remaining seams open.

Congratulations! You have now completed your Wonky Star!! This was awesomely fun to make!

Now for the Giveaway!! One lucky winner will receive the Wonky Star Block made with Holiday fabric, a stack of 2 1/2" squares to complete several Wonky Stars, three fat quarters of Christmas Prints and some surprise holiday gifts!

Winning is easy peasy! Here is what you need to do:

1. Be a follower or become a follower of my blog.

2. Click on the Free Patterns from Accuquilt on the sidebar of my blog to receive 22 free patterns from Accuquilt and join their mailing list.

3. Enter SewCalGal's Accuquilt Sponsored Baby Go Giveaway and leave a post letting me know!

4. Be sure to scroll down to my previous post for a chance to win my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway!

Winner will be announced on Sunday, December 18, 2011!

Good luck and Happy Quilting!!

PS..Don't forget to visit other blogs participating in the hop this week:

Tuesday, December 13th

Cherry (Cherry Bossoms)

Wednesday, December 14th

Terrie (Bits & Pieces)

Nancy (Tattered Garden)

Thursday, December 15th

Katrina (Sunshower Quilts)

Jacque (Lily Pad Quilting)

Friday, December 16th

SewCalGal

Paulette (Sweet P Quilting and Creations)
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!

Sew Mama Sew, Giveaway Day!!

2011-12-12T09:12:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!! I hope that your weekend was nothing short of fantastic!! Are your holiday projects closer to completion? Sew Mama Sew is having a link up for Giveaway Day! I thought I would join in with some OOP fabrics that are beautiful and hard to find! The pictures to follow will define what one lucky winner will receive!

One "Baskets of Flowers" charm Pack by Mary Engelbreight. This OOP charm pack includes 37 bright and happy charm squares!

One yard cuts of John Derian's, "Cottage Trellis" fabric for Michael Miller Fabrics and Sharon Yenter's, "Forties Retro" fabric for In The Beginning Fabrics!

Winning is easy peasy!!

1. Be a follower or become a new follower of my blog!!

2.Leave a post about what your favorite color is!

Winner will be announced on Friday, December 16th!

Thank you for visiting my blog and Happy Quilting!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!

SavVy Seasons Swap...Ready to Mail!

2011-12-08T20:51:00.000-05:00

Hello again! I know that I am blogging twice in one day, but this swap is going out in tomorrow's mail and I had to share! My table runner along with all of the goodies is complete for the SavVy Seasons swap on flickr! Yay! I hope that my partner will like the package! The first picture is the completed table runner. It is simplistic, modern and pretty!

This is the table runner, a pillowcase, an ornament and some assorted goodies that will travel along in the mail!

Well, I better get back to sewing. There are several projects that I am behind on. Maybe they can make the mail before the end of the year! Happy Thursday and Happy Quilting!!

UFO Line Up for 2012!

2011-12-08T11:55:00.003-05:00

Happy Thursday!! It's hard to believe that it is almost 2012!! The year has flown by with record speed. As you know I participated in alot of swaps and several Bee's last year. The blocks collected are in different stages for each quilt sampler. It was really alot of fun and at times down right stressful to meet the deadlines! There are still several swaps to finish for this year and then time to take a short breath as the New Year begins.
Next year I will be participating in several Bee's and cutting back on some of the swaps on flickr for a while. There is literally a line up of quilts to assemble! The NFL has their line up and I have mine!! (and mine is much more pretty)
One of the most exciting things that I learned this year was about Modern Quilting. It has been a fascinating adventure and hopefully this year I will be able to delve more into the art. I am trying to locate a copy of Gwen Marston's first version of Liberated Quilt Making. I have volume two, but not volume one. Amazon has some copies available at outrageous prices, so hopefully I will be able to swap for it...
The pictures to follow are just a sampling of what I have for UFO's to finish in 2012. Not all of the blocks are in their final order. SO here we go:
This quilt will be for my older son, Matt. He is looking forward to receiving this black, white yellow and red quilt for his double bed. Many of the blocks in this quilt came from the 4 X 5 Bee and the NuBee's Block Swap on flickr. I made 2 of blocks this quilt. There will be 16 blocks total and it will fit a double size bed.

My younger son Justin wanted a blue green and white quilt for his double bed. This quilt will have 16 blocks upon completion. The blocks pictured came from swaps in the 3 X 6 Bee on Flickr and the NuBee's Block Swap.

This quilt will be for my bedroom! Aqua, red and grey blocks have been swapped through the Block Swap Adventure, NuBee's, Sew & Bee Happy Bee, 3 X 6 Bee and I made three of the blocks for this quilt. There will be grey sashing and some Sherbet Pips fabrics added to this sampler.

The wonky log cabin blocks in this pending quilt are from The Block Party Bee on Flickr. I am still waiting to receive two more blocks from Bee members. The blocks range in size from 15 to 17 inches. The quilt will be twin size and all blocks will be squared up to 18 inches a piece, then sewn together. The fabrics are Sherbet Pips, Flea Market Fancy and various scraps added on by Bee members. Very fun and wintry!!

This fabric selection is compiled make a Funky Broadway Quilt. The fabrics are all Flea Market Fancy and the new DS Quilts Line by Denyse Schmidt. This eclectic little quilt should sew together in a snap. I previously had completed this pattern with Urban Chiks 1974 fabrics.

This kit was purchased on sale from The Fat Quarter Shop. It is called a Bar Code Quilt. Blues and yellows dominate this kit and will make a cheerful twin size bed cover! The directions for this quilt can be found in the Fall 2010 Edition of Quilts and More magazine! (yikes, this one is really old!!)

There are still a multitude of projects not pictured to make!! A Tokyo Subway Map Quilt is yet to be finished, my quilt from the Sew & Bee Happy Bee and tons and tons of gorgeous fabrics yet to be discovered in my sewing room!! SO..what do you have to finish in 2012?? Have you run a muck like I have, or are you pretty much on target with your stash and projects from the past year? I am off to sew for a while! Have a Happy Thursday and Happy Quilting!!

SavVy Seasons Swap...

2011-12-04T20:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday! I hope that your week has been wonderful! Life has been pretty busy. I have fallen behind on a few swaps due to working so many erratic hours. Hopefully my sewing projects will get caught up soon! One swap that will mail out on time is the SavVy Seasons Swap on flickr. Your secret partner gets to choose a holiday and list some items that he/she would like to receive. I am making a table runner, a pillowcase and an ornament to send along with some other goodies in the box! The picture below is a closeup of the table runner that is in progress. The fabric is from Micheal Miller along with a white Moda Bella Solid. The binding will be from DS Quilts Picnic/Fairgrounds line with the pink and red dots.

All of the goodies will be packaged in this super cute pillow case. The pillow case was quick and easy to make. The fabrics are Sweetwater from Moda.

Along with the handmade items are some extra goodies! My partner likes food fabrics, so there are some really cool holiday fabrics included in the packages.

I am still working on the ornament which should turn out really neat looking. It will be in the shape of a recipe card made with the same fabrics included in the extra goodie bag. Hopefully she will like everything! (The little max & whisker's 2 1/2" mini charm pack is adorable!)

My goal is to have everything ready to mail on Thursday. The binding should be done in a snap and the ornament is a pretty simple construction. Well, I better get back to stitching the binding. My packages for the Holiday Swap will mail out along with the SavVy Seasons Swap...Additional pictures will post upon completion!

There are some surprise packages enroute to a few of my follower's! Hmm...who will they be?? Have a really happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!

Stash Report, Amy Butler's Lark...

2011-11-18T09:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday!! I hope that your week has been awesome! Life has been moving along at a very fast pace lately! Between work and family responsibilities there has hardly been time to take a breath and relax!! Partner assignments for the holiday fabric swap will go out in tomorrow's email...If you have signed up for this fun swap, check your Saturday email!!
The weather has gotten very chilly in Pittsburgh. Actually it is very cold for this Florida gir! I have been working a second part time job at The Quilt Company several nights a week. When I left work last night there was frost on my windsheild!! The Quilt Company is owned by very talented pattern and fabric designer, Karen Montgomery. The shop is beautiful and it is such an honor to be part of her staff! All of the ladies at the shop are very nice to work with.
My latest fabric purchase has been Lark, by Amy Butler. I am a huge Amy Butler fan and this line is filled with beautiful colors and bold prints! I probably will make a quilt with it in the future. For now it is tucked away in my stash!

I have several fabric lines on my list to aquire! Hopefully life will slow down a bit and there will be more time to sew!! There will be a post tomorrow with a very exciting sponsored giveaway! Have a Happy Friday and Happy Quilting!!

DS Doll Quilt Swap...

2011-11-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday! My blog sponsored a swap on flickr called the DS Quilts Fabric Doll Quilt Swap. About twenty four ladies joined the swap. Some were from my blog and some were members from flickr. This was a themed swap and the parameters were to use fabrics from Denyse Schmidt's DS Quilts line, combined with solid fabrics that were quilt shop fabric quality. I was a bit on the fence about what to make for my partner. I started with some wonky stars and random pieced blocks.

Then when they were joined together the blocks began to look like this:

I added some wonky flying geese using different fabric and just wasn't in love with the design. It was too busy, so I ripped it apart, saved the blocks and went back to designing something else.

Last month I began practicing to make confetti blocks during several Sewing Bees. The block below is an elongated version of a confetti block using the DS Quilts fabric. It is very simplistic, yet the possibilities for quilting were very exciting. I settled on using this version for the swap.

This is the completed version of the Doll Quilt for my partner. She actually is a long time follower of my blog and doesn't know that a package from me is enroute to her. (since it is a secret swap)

The quilting is straight line quilting and it was alot of fun to do! The mini quilt is a little abstract and modern. Her box has some extra goodies and should arrive by mid next week on her door step!! I have to work tonight, but will post tomorrow the winner of my destash giveaway!! Have a very Happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!!

October NuBee's Blocks go in the Mail!!

2011-10-29T11:45:00.001-04:00

Happy Saturday!! We woke up to snow this morning in Pittsburgh!! It's beautiful and I will have to drive to work in it this afternoon!! This will be my first day in my life to drive in snow..Brrr!!!

I completed and mailed off my blocks for the NuBees Block Swap for October on Flickr. This is a pretty fast paced swap. You can sign up on a monthly basis and are assigned to a "Hive" with five other quilters. You need to use modern fabrics and mail out one block to each of the women in your hive. I have been trying to learn my way through new modern blocks, so bee's like this are a great way for repetition in mastering a block and trying out different fabrics. The monthly or quarterly Bees are also a great way to dig through your stash of scraps and use them up! These are the confetti blocks that I mailed to Hive number three:

There are still alot of projects to finish for October! Bit by bit they are getting done and in the mail! I will post more pictures mid week of some of the other swaps that have been completed! What are you up to this weekend?? I work tonight and then again tomorrow night. My sewing will be done whenever there is some free time! Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Quilting!!

Holiday Fabric Swap!!

2011-10-26T14:37:00.000-04:00

Happy Wednesday! I hope that all is well with you! I have been working the graveyard shift from nine at night until six in the morning. Tonight is the last night for that shift then I am off of work until Saturday!
My sewing room has been pretty busy whenever I am awake!! My blocks for the NuBees Hive 3 Swap for October go out in today's mail. (pictures will be posted tomorrow). For the Block Party Bee on flickr, November is my month to receive blocks from my fellow Bee members. I chose to receive Wonky Log Cabin Blocks that are between 15" and 17" big. The picture below is of the twelve packets that will be going out to the Bee members with the fabrics for the blocks. They should be really cool when they come back!! The packets are filled with some FMF, Sherbet Pips, Little Apples and Kona Solids...

With the holiday season around the corner I thought that I would check to see if anyone was interested in a holiday swap?? We could make it an easy fat eighth stash busting holiday fabric swap. Your packet would include three fat eighths (9" X 21") of the holiday fabrics of your choice, a card and some type of candy or tea of choice...We all have extra holiday fabrics in our stash and it would be a nice way to meet another quilter and add a new set of fabrics to your stash! If you are interested leave a comment on this post and I will set up a survey to gather all of the mailing info for the swap! The send date would be December 1st!

Thank you to everyone who responded to my Birthday post!! The cake was really yummy!! Well, time to get back to sewing! Have a happy Wednesday and Happy Quilting!!

Let Them Eat Cake!!!

2011-10-23T08:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday, October 23rd!! Today is my Birthday!! Yay!! Today is the cusp of Libra and Scorpio..I made it through another year..lol!! Doesn't the cake look so cute and yummy?? I love the little owl!! Most of my day will be spent sewing, then it's off to work later this afternoon. (the four until two in the morning shift) Nothing else is planned...

There are five bee blocks to make, two more mini quilts, a pair of potholders, four coasters and a pillow cover before I can breathe easy again!! I am a bit behind the eight ball..YIKES!! What do you have planned for today?? Have a Happy Sunday and Happy Quilting!!

Blocks in the Mail!!

2011-10-17T15:24:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday! The weather has definitely turned to fall in Pennsylvania! The leaves have begun to change from green to shades of amber and brown. The air definitely has begun to get a bit of a chill in it!!
I am working alot of shifts in the late evenings and sewing whenever I can! Some of my blocks for October have gone out in the mail. The ones pictured today are from the 3 X 6 Bee on flickr and the first month of The Block Party Bee. There is still alot of sewing left to do for the month and I am hoping to stay on track a bit better.

3 X 6 Bee for Cleo

for Jacqueline

For Meg

For Melinda

For Sarah

For Traci

This block is for Shelley in the Block Party Bee in flickr. Her block was inspiration for the 3 X 6 Bee Blocks that were mailed October 15th.

I will be posting a sponsored giveaway later today. I was delayed in my posting because of the night shifts that I have been working. I seem to move in slow motion..lol..Have a very Happy Monday and watch for my post later this evening for the giveaway!! Happy Quilting!!

The Mail Lady has been very busy...

2011-10-13T11:14:00.001-04:00

Happy Thursday!! The weather has cleared up since yesterday's rainy day. Several quiltie swaps have been received and also a gift that I wasn't expecting from my flickr friend Kirsten. The first swap that came in was from the For Love of Solids Swap on flickr. This beautiful wall hanging, a mini bag and mug rug were received from Julie@DistantPickles. I love the modern piecing done in the wall hanging and the rainbow extra gifties are just fun!

This mini came in from CaryQuilter on flickr for the October STUD Swap. I love the birdie applique that she made and the flowers have very cute little buttons in them! It's really stunning! Thank you so much!!

My friend Kirsten that I swap fabric with lives in Australia. I was very surprised and filled with joy to receive this doll quilt from her in the mail. Kirsten is my co swap mama on the DS Doll Quilt Swap that my blog is sponsoring on flickr. She has a really neat blog called Gemini Stitches. It was a very unexpected gift that will be treasured. I had admired it on flickr when she had finished it and was very excited to receive it! Thank you Kirsten!!

That's all I have for my show and tell for now! I am off to do some sewing! Have a very happy Thursday and Happy Quilting!

Busy Like a Bee...

2011-10-12T10:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Wednesday! Just a quick post to say hello and share some of the blocks that have gone out in the mail! The temperature is pretty pleasant, the sky is overcast and rainy today. Here are some of the many blocks that have gone out in the mail!

The wonky stars went out in the mail for the 4X5 Bee on flickr!

This block was made for the September Sew & Bee Happy Bee on flickr. September was the last month of the Bee.

The confetti block is the first of six blocks for the 3X6 Bee on flickr. Five more blocks to make and mail by Saturday!

The wrapped packages are going in the mail to my partner Linda in the UK for A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate swap on flickr.

Last but not least, the following pictures are for a scrap swap on flickr that my friend Kat is sponsoring. These goodies are going to Australia!

Hopefully the day will bring you much happiness and joy! Tomorrow I will post some of the goodies that I have received in the mail. Friday will kick off a new sponsored giveaway! Have a very Happy Wednesday and Happy Quilting!