{ A Quick Project- the Mondo Bag}

I attended my first quilting guild meeting last month and saw several ladies with these amazing patchwork bags. I inquired about an available pattern and was told that most of the guild members have made a Mondo bag. Some have made many.

Quiltsmart offers a pattern and fusible interfacing kit that make the construction of the bags so easy. Two charm packs and some yardage are needed. 

This is a very roomy bag. Great for a beach tote or even a diaper bag. Quiltsmart even offers a smaller option , the Midi Bag.  I've already got two more planned-one for my sister and one for my niece. I just have to choose the fabric. That's the best part of any project, am I right?

Linking up with:

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

{ Three (small) Finishes }

Last winter I finished  my Charming Stars quilt, made with Snowman Gatherings II 

from Primitive Gatherings. 

I had leftover charm squares and had purchased extra yardage for pillow backs. 

Over the past couple of weeks I found time to put together

 three 20x20 throw pillows for our den couch. 

I love this fabric!

I'm linking up with Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

{ A Recent Bigfoot Sighting }

I'm getting a start on Christmas sewing. The last two weeks I've been working on Legendary by  Elizabeth Hartman.

This pattern makes me smile.

Linking up with 

Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story

{ Moving Right Along }

Even though it's not a finish....yet, I wanted to share the progress on my Fat Quarter Shop Mystery BOM from 2012. 

The top is almost finished- I just have the borders left to do. Three of them, with some flying geese thrown in for fun. {yeah, right}

Since we're expecting a winter storm this weekend, I'm hoping to get the borders pieced and attached. Maybe I'll even make the binding and piece the backing.  The blizzard could be a good thing!

I'm linking up to Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Can I Get A Woop-Whoop

and

Sew Fresh Quilts ~ Let's Bee Social

{ A Work in Progress ~ What I'm Working on Currently }

The next item on my "lets get this done" list is my 2012 FQS Mystery BOM, using the Vintage Modern collection by Bonnie and Camille. The information on the completed blocks is HERE 

Last night I cut out all the pieces for the flying geese units that are part of the sashing. This morning I marked all the squares with sewng lines and tonight I'll start putting them together.

I'm linking up to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

{ Addendum 1/13/16 }

I started piecing the flying geese ( not one of my favorite blocks) I'm glad I'm seeing progress.

I'm linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts

{ 2016 Finish-A-Long ~ First Quarter }

I'm participating in the 2016 Finish-A-Long, hosted by bloggers from the US to Australia. The plan is to finish up projects that have been hanging around in drawers, plastic bins, cardboard boxes, whatever, in all states of completion. Motivation comes from the realization that I am not alone in my collection of UFO's and that there will be others working to complete their UFO's too.

I'm linking up through A Quilter's Table

My first quarter Finish-A-Long list - a short one this time around

1- Tumbler Quilt ~ I started this in my early quilting days-2012- and got as far as piecing three rows before it was tucked into a project box and stacked in the closet. There wasn't anything wrong with it, I just had other quilts that took it's place. I actually started working on it right after the new year began with intentions of including it on my Q1 list. I've only got the binding to hand sew and I can cross this one off.

2- Patchwork Pillow ~ I don't recall exactly when I started this but we were still splitting our time between Brooklyn and the new house. It's my first attempt at a pillow cover and will eventually rest in our guest bedroom.The fabric is Whitewashed Cottage by 3 Sisters. I'm using a tutorial on Crazy Mom Quilts 

to make an envelope back pillow. It's in the very early stage. 

3- Fat Quarter Shop Mystery BOM 2012 ~ All 12 blocks are pieced and the top needs to be assembled, quilted and bound. This one's going to take awhile.

4- Splish Splash ~ This is another early quilt top -2011- which was pieced but never made into a finished quilt. I'd like to get this done for when the grandkids come over, maybe for use as a playmat for the baby.

That's all for Q1 of the Finish A-Long. Wish me luck.

{ Wish I was a Farm Girl Sampler - First Two Blocks }

I started sewing the 6 1/2" blocks from Lori Holt's

Farmgirl Vintage  book this past weekend.

Up to this time, I really hadn't worked with such small pieces of fabric so I really wasn't sure what to expect. Everything seemed to work out fine and I'm happy with the blocks. 

Choosing the fabric is a lot of fun. Sometimes I struggle with fabric choices, second guessing myself all the way through, but I think the colors and prints of Farmhouse and Strawberry Fields make it easy to be satisfied with my choices.

Welcome

Corn and Tomatoes

So, here are my first two completed blocks! So happy to finally be sewing them. 

{ My Best of 2015 }

I'm excited to be participating in the {Best of 2015} linky party

sponsored by Meadow Mist Designs. I've chosen five posts from the past year

to share with everyone. I hope you enjoy!

I've got the kettle on and as soon as the water boils I'll be settling 

in to read all of your favorite blog posts of 2015.

Sister's Choice Christmas Quilt January 2015

 Red Letter Day October 2015

Noah's Sailboat October 2015

Christmas Flirt December 2015

Scrumptious Baby Quilt December 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!

{ The Final Quilt of 2015 }

I finished my sweet granddaughter's quilt two days before Christmas. With all the other activity going on-----baking , cooking, cleaning ---- I didn't get to make or attach her quilt label. I promised it will get done before the end of January. 

Quilt Details

Finished at 48x48

Fabric: Scrumptious by Bonnie & Camille

Pattern: Scrum-diddly-uptious Baby Quilt from Moda Bake Shop

Batting: Warm & White

I quilted it simply so it would remain nice and soft after washing. She was a hit with Mom.
This is my last quilt finish of 2015.
I'm hoping for a busy and productive 2016!
Happy New Year everyone.

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday on Monday

{ A Finish, Just in Time }

The one and only handmade Christmas gift {unless you count pillow cases and linen spray} is complete  and on her way to live with my niece in Florida. I've been planning this quilt for her for some time but weddings and new babies kept bumping it down the to-do list.

I used the pattern Charmalade by Pamela Lincoln, a freebie from Moda Bake Shop. I thought the simplicity of this design and its "modern" look were perfect for a 20-something.

I quilted this one myself, just simple straight lines which follow the design. Sometimes, simple is best.

The fabric is {Flirt} by Sandy Gervais for Moda. I love the colors and prints. You can't miss with red & aqua.

The backing and binding are from Bonnie & Camille's{Vintage Modern } line.
Quilt finished at 56x68

P.S. HSTs ~ there are 130 of them in this quilt. That's a lot of trimming!

I'm linking up to:
Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday
and
Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Happy Weekend Before Christmas!

{ A Scrumptious Baby Quilt }

I've been hoping for someone to have a baby girl. The last two baby quilts I made were for little boys and, though I like boyish fabric, I've been holding on to some perfectly girlie  Scrumptious by Bonnie & Camille, just waiting for the right opportunity to use it.

I have a love affair with all Bonnie and Camille fabric. I can't help it. I think I've had a little of each line from Bliss forward and I'm still hoarding Ruby, I know sometime I''ll cut into it, but not yet.

The pattern I'm using is Scrumdiddlyumptious Baby Quilt which is a free pattern found on Moda Bake Shop There are so many great patterns to choose from for every level of quilter.

This is the first block I pieced. I think I like it! Half the fun of this pattern was picking out the  fabrics.

I'm almost done. After I took this photo I actually finished one more block. Only one more left to go and it'll  be done this weekend. I may even get to baste it.

This one's going to our sweet baby granddaughter, born on July 9th. I can't have her lounging around on her little brother's quilt, can I?

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday even though I'm not quite finished yet.

{ Red Letter Day : The First Block }

I've finished four blocks already and number five is cut and ready to sew. I love this pattern ! It really comes together easily. Of course that's only because the instructions on all Thimble Blossom patterns are well written and clear. Even I can't make a mistake.

 

This is the first block I finished and so far, it's my favorite.

 

I really like this fabric line, Weeds by Me & My Sister Designs. I set aside enough fat quarters to make my own Red Letter Day quilt. I may just keep going once the first nine blocks are done.

 

We'll see though since I found out I'm going to be a great- aunt and will have a baby quilt to work on. I can't wait. 

{ It Wouldn't Be Spring Without Some Weeds}

I've been waiting for the perfect project to use my fat quarter bundle of  Weeds, by Me & My Sister Designs. It's been staring at me for months.

 

I bounced between a Swoon quilt for the guest bedroom and Red Letter Day, also by Thimble Blossoms.

 

Red Letter Day won. I paired off 16 fat quarter last weekend and started cutting. The directions are easy to follow and the blocks come together quickly.  They finish around 23 inches.

I'm ready to start sewing the third block. Yay!

 

She'll be a gift for someone special so I'm not going to post any photos of the blocks,

 just in case she happens along this silly blog. I am really happy with the look so far.

 

This fabric line is so much fun to work with. I even have plenty of fat quarters left to make a Red Letter Day for myself. Wait, does anyone actually make a quilt for themselves? Every time I plan one, another quilt to be gifted jumps ahead.

 

Happy sewing!

 

 

 

 

 

{ A little slicing and a little sewing }

Last night I finally got around to cutting up the charms for the  patchwork pillow made from Whitewashed Cottage.

 

I even sewed three of the rows together. {of course, after taking a ridiculous amount of time laying out the 2 1/2" squares into a pleasing design.}

 

 

It took me two rows to figure out a foolproof way to be sure the chain-pieced pairs were put together in the right order. Sometimes I struggle with the obvious, like closing a box top with the alternating up-down on the flaps. It usually takes three tries before I get it right. Makes me laugh every time.

 



{ A New, Easy Project ? }

Yesterday I was looking at our guest bedroom, which is serving as our bedroom currently, and planning the rest of the decor. The walls are painted Gentle Rain {gray}and the carpet is also gray. The trim is white, the curtains are pale gray sheers and the furniture is white. I'm going for a cottage-y look for the spring and summer. I plan on making a traditional churn dash quilt for the bed using Whitewashed Cottage by Me & My Sisters for Moda. I already grabbed five charm packs when Stash Addict Quilts had them on their daily special.
 { Exactly when I'll get to this is unknown }

 

While I wait, I thought I'd like to try making a pillow. I found a great tutorial for making an envelope backed  pillow covering at Crazy Mom Quilts.  It doesn't look too hard.

I grabbed one of the charm packs and will start picking out charms for a simple patchwork pillow. I'm planning on a 9x9 grid of 2 1/2" squares for a finished pillow size of 18". I'm looking forward to trying something I haven't done before. Wish me luck.

 

{ Better Late Then Never They Say }

My Florida dwelling sister has been after me for a quilt and a pair of knit wool socks for more than a year. This is the girl who only wears flip flop type sandals, is allergic to wool and keeps her AC set at 65 degrees because she's always hot. Every knit sock photo I post on Instagram gets a comment such as...."are those mine?" ..." I'm still waiting for my socks". You get the idea.

 

Since wool socks would sit in her drawer, I decided to make her a Christmas quilt that could be brought out at the coolest time of the year, and used for 30 days before being tucked away until the next year.

 

I started early but got distracted with the new house excitement. Quilting was just completed two days before Christmas. She got an IOU for her gift. The label is embroidered and I started hand sewing the binding last night. I'm hoping to have it complete and shipped by next week. Fingers are crossed. Here's a few photos, peeky, peeky. More when she's done. I do hope there's snow when I photograph it.