Design Wall Monday

It appears that I am in the "one post a week" mode lately. I guess that's ok, since my sewing time has really been limited recently. 

I finished this quilt from last week...

I added two more rows, so it measures approximately 56" x 69" now and I'm happy with that. 

Where's the picture, you ask? It has not been taken, of course. I took it off the design wall and had intentions of taking it outside for pictures but it was sprinkling a little so I set it aside. Life happened, and no picture was taken. That will be done later this week (I hope!).

Why didn't I just put it back on the wall to take a picture?  

While I was sewing this quilt and the one before it, I was making Quilt of Valor Log Cabin blocks as a leader/ender project. As I completed the blocks, I was putting them up on the wall to play around with the layout. 

Here's what I decided...

I have the final five blocks complete now, but they need pressed before I can put them up on the wall. We have a few appointments today and then I've got to finish prepping for some upcoming classes and trips, so I'm not sure when I'll get back to this. It's so close and shouldn't take long to finish when I get a chance to sew.

I'm happy to have this quilt top almost done. I'm behind on the number of QOV's that I make each year, and it feels good to be catching up with them. I've got another one cut and ready to use as a leader/ender project, so that should help be get back on track. I need to take a look to see what I have so I can get backing fabrics ready. Once that's done, I just need to quilt them. Easy, peasy, right? :-)   

What are you working on today?

Check out the Quilter's Eye Candy at

Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

and

Beth's Monday Making  

Design Wall Monday

I made my border decision on the quilt from the last post, but I only have a picture of one corner. I really like this and want to wait to show the whole quilt when it is completely finished.  :-)

I only used 20 of the 42 - 10" squares in pack so I decided to make another quilt instead of putting them aside. Here's the beginning of that quilt.

I like the simplicity of this quilt and will have to think seriously about doing some special quilting inside those big blocks. 

I have a program coming up about using layer cakes, or whatever you want to call the pre-cut 10" squares. I already have a bunch of quilts to show, but I'm thrilled to add these to the pile.  :-)

What are you working on today?

Check out the Quilters' Eye Candy at

Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

and

Beth's Monday Making

Design Wall Monday

I finished the top that I showed in my last post. Unfortunately I don't have a good picture to share, but I'll try to get a good one in the next couple of days and post it. The quilt finished 60" x 80" so it will be used as a Quilt of Valor.

I do have something else on the design wall though...

I've been playing around with some 10" squares and wanted to do something quick and easy. I snowballed 20 - 10" squares on two sides and then put them together in a random order. I added a small border from the same snowball fabric and will start playing around with border options in the next couple of days. 

I have 40 - 3 1/2" half square triangles that were leftovers from snowballing the blocks and I think I'm going to piece a couple of borders using them.  

What are you working on today?

Check out the eye candy at

Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

and

Beth's Monday Making

Sew to Regroup

I have been crazy busy the last few weeks and today was no different. After I helped get Nikki and Zach's kids to school today, I came home and started working right away. My mind was racing and I couldn't concentrate on one thing at a time so I knew that I needed to step away and regroup.

What better way to do that than sew?

I threw this up on the design wall Tuesday night, knowing that I wouldn't have an opportunity to work on it for at least a week. I really just wanted to see if my fabrics would play together nicely, and I think they do. 

This quilt is the center of the Labyrinth Quilt by Debbie Maddy. 

My friend Eillen wants to use a variation of this pattern for a Quilt of Valor and I told her that I'd help adjust the pattern. On Monday, we pulled some fabric, made some changes, and decided what we needed. I wanted to review my math and sketches so I decided to use real fabric to do that. I think everything will work and I look forward to completing this quilt.  

I'm going to sew a couple of rows together right now and then head back to work. That should settle me down a bit and get me back on track. 

Slice Rug

If you've read my blog over the past year, you know that I've made a lot of jelly roll rugs and taught a lot of classes. You probably remember seeing these on the blog before. I still like all of these and all the ones that I haven't posted here.

There's a new version of the rug called Slice Rug, and of course I've made one of them.

Here's the rug I made yesterday. It measures about 18" x 31" and is pretty darn quick and easy to make.

I am very pleased with how it turned out and know that I'll be making more so stay tuned. 

I'll be in Cleveland at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo for the next couple of days. If you are in town, stop by and see me.  :-)

April - 2019 Color Challenge

It's the beginning of the month and that means it's time for the new 2019 Monthly Color Challenge. 

For this month's block pattern and instructions, head over to Jen's Blog - Patterns by Jen 

April - Glory of the Snow

Blue

This is such a beautiful flower and having it as the April flower is absolutely perfect!

According to The Flower Expert, Glory of the Snow is so-named because in some climates it blooms early enough that it pokes its little bright blue flowers right out of the snow. What a welcome beauty after a long cold and snowy winter!

Not only does Glory of the Snow provide a wonderful sneak peek of the upcoming Spring when it pokes through the snow, it provides wonderful color in rock gardens, raised bed, or under shrubs and trees. 

I can't help but feel that the appearance of this flower each Spring is much like the making and giving of a quilt. 

You know that the flower will return every Spring, but you often forget just how beautiful it is until you see it. When you tell someone you're making a quilt for them, they know what a quilt is but they often have no idea of how beautiful it will be and how much love and time will have gone into its making. 

Even the quiltmaker is often surprised at the final beauty of a quilt; and just like the wonderful feeling of seeing those bright blue petals that signify the end of winter, handing over a quilt and watching the reaction of the recipient makes the process worth it.  

I am not yet sure of what I will do with this quilt when it's complete, but I know that I've enjoyed the process and hope that the recipient feels the same way. 

Here are my fabrics - a solid light blue from my stash and a fat quarter of royal Starlet by Blank Quilting. (This looks very similar to last month fabric, but it is different.)

My units are sewn and ready to be assembled into a block!

Remember that I'm making two blocks. I'm switching the placement of the light and dark fabrics in the second blocks. 

The completed block!

I like this block too and am really liking the Starlet fabric in this version. 

Here they are, side by side.

Check out other bloggers who made blocks this month, and be sure to come back next month to see what we create. 

Patterns By Jen

quiltsbyjoanne

Devoted Quilter

123quilt

Masterpiece Quilting