Show and Tell and Hide and Seek

I have a little show and tell today!
It's called Bird Seed.

I finished a project that had been pushed aside.

I had been wanting to make an Orange Peel quilt for 

quite some time.

And I am so glad I made this one that combines

Flying Geese with the Orange Peels!

(did you notice Lottie, the cat, sitting on the rocks in the photo above)

It was super fun to make and I used fabric 

that I had been "aging to perfection" in my stash.

I actually had to looked back in my blog to see when I started it.

This was a photo of my progress in June.

Here is a photo of the actual pattern.

It is a free pattern by Tula Pink on the Bernina web site.

I believe it was in German... but just needed to be translated.

I love her colors and how the grays are on the bottom of the

quilt.

But I think that I will be finishing it and gifting it to my

son Tauren and his soon to be bride Heather for their wedding

in April. So, I kept my version lighter.

I will mention that they like Fall colors...

so maybe

 this is

 the beginning

 of Autumn ???

Friday Featured Book: Windy City Bags

Normally, I leave bag making up to my DIL who is a wiz at it!

But since the babies started coming... for some reason she doesn't have

time to sew like she use to... leaving me to have to shop at

department stores!

But.... now, I think I've got this!

This amazing book was released last month...

and it definitely one to add to your bookshelf!

Windy City Bags is the sequel to Big City Bags!

Both are published by Martingale.

Sara of Sew Sweetness blog has an incredible amount of talent

and has created this book in a simple straight forward style

without making the projects 

"remedial" for people like me who are lacking in

seamstress skills.

(all photos by Brent Kane for Martingale Publishing

all rights reserved)

(Windy City Bags by Martingale Publishing 2015 

used by permission)

Of course the fun fabrics that were used

 is the first thing that sold me

on this book! 

I'm having a little flash-back to the 60's 

with matching purse and bag!

 The projects are full of wonderful detail and Sara

shares with you every step of the design process making you feel confident

in selecting the materials needed for the bags and using the hardware to

make these unique and stylish purses.

Putting in zippers and installing hardware on these 

structured bags seems easy but

if the book isn't enough Sara has videos on her blog 

to really help you along.

The only hard part is deciding which bag to make first!

A Nice Getaway but Now I Need To Be Committed

I had a wonderful holiday at the beach.

Yes, the weather was terrible, rain... wind... cold.

But that's okay... 

my feet were in the sand and I could hear the seagulls

and I got to see this huge pelican! 

The only time I spent in my sewing room in a week 

was making a few of these

Outlined Plus blocks.

I'm still  not sure how large I'm going to make it...

but just in case, I'm ordering more background fabric today!

I do have big plans for the weekend though...

I am checking myself into BOM Rehab!

I will post what I get accomplished the first of February.

I'm convinced that this is the only way I'm going to get

my block of the month projects done. 

What block of the month projects are you working on???

Fat Quarter Shop has a new one that just started.

Crossroads.

It looks very tempting!

Especially in the Strawberry Fields Revisited fabric group!

They also have a Designer Mystery BOM

                                                            

Those have always been fun!

And then there are the Frivols!

Have you been collecting them?

I have a list of my own...

right now I am behind on...

1. Moda Modern BOM

2.Fig Tree Mystery Sampler

3. FQS Designer Mystery #???

4. The Fig Tree Yuletide  Sampler #2

I'm sure there are more... and I will find them as I wade through 

my stash.

Winding Up My Week

Well, first of all I wanted to share a photo of Elsea.

This is Evelyn's little sister and she is 10 months old today!

She has the sweetest little personality.

Such a blessing in every way!

I got happy mail today!

I missed out on the Yuletide BOM last year by

Fig Tree and Company.

Somehow, this year I got lucky...

not only was Joanna doing a repeat of the block of the month...

but somehow,

I was lucky enough to join... they usually sell out so 

quickly!

So, my nagging thought is that I need to get back to my "BOM Rehab".

A dedicated weekend where I just concentrate on keeping caught up with my

block of the month projects.

I even have a button on my sidebar for it.

So, yes, that's what I'm going to do to keep myself on track!

Anybody else feel the need???

I was looking for some fabric in the stash closet when I 

came upon this unfinished top.

I instantly put two and two together...

because of this book I had had in my hands earlier...

My project was made out of Minick and Simpson fabrics... and on their site they shared 

about their row in this fun book by Moda! Published by Martingale. (I had blogged about it a couple weeks ago)

Anyway... I am thinking that I could make those cute sand pails and add them in the alternate block area of my topper!

It's just too cute, right?

My goal this year was to finish an old project along with every new project.

I have already declared my two at the first of the month... but it seems two more

have popped in on my list.

This is Morning Glory but it might just remain a baby quilt.

Here is my progress on my Outlined Plus.

I have all the plus units ready to go now... so I will be gaining 

speed... oh, but wait, I just remembered I forgot to order more background 

fabric!

 OK, stay tuned! I've got this!

I thought I would show you a photo of Lottie.

Whenever I'm outside, she stands guard... 

keeping an eye out for those nasty Coyotes!

If you remember, earlier last summer, her brother 

had a bad encounter with one. 

I will be heading to the beach for the holiday weekend! I am so excited! 

We have a house rented in Santa Cruz and my whole family  will

coming... all the way down to the youngest grand daughter... Elsea.

I'll be in Heaven!

FQS Top Ten: Hope Blooms

This quilt was such a pleasant surprise to work on!

I didn't know at first that there was a "method" using a 

specialty ruler. But I am so glad that I went with it!

This is the original Hope Blooms by Kimberly.

I love the little applique on both corners of the quilt but for mine...

it didn't seem to work.

But that is the fun in these blog hops... you get to see the same pattern 

but in different fabrics and different little twists added too!

The Log Cabin is such a traditional block...

but I have given it an updated look here!

I seriously don't thing it's a beginner block...

well, unless you use the Creative Grid ruler!

I remember trying to make a Log Cabin quilt years ago...

unfortunately, it was pretty wonky despite my best attempts!

The video Kimberly has with such simple instructions

and with ruler in hand... I made Hope Blooms with

little to no stress involved!

I have to say that on the "last round"...

I didn't trim my  block, making it one inch larger than the pattern.

I was happy with it... so I went with 9 1/2" being my unfinished size.

The great thing about Log Cabin blocks is that you can arrange them in 

a variety of ways and get different designs... I was playing and

ended up with this setting as a pleasant surprise!

I am so glad that the Fat Quarter Shop has asked me to 

play along this week! 

I might never have attempted a Log Cabin again after my

wonky one... that ended up in the trash!

(sometimes you just have to pull the plug)

Check out Fat Quarter Shop's blog to see more quilts made from Hope Blooms (and quilts from the other Top 10 videos).

You can find the free pattern for Hope Blooms here.

You will enjoy watching the video here.

Go here to see the other blogs showing Hope Blooms:

Seema of Hooks, Needles & Brushes

Shruti of 13 Woodhouse Road

Rachel of PS I Quilt

Julie of The Crafty Quilter

Christopher of The Tattooed Quilter

AND MOST OF ALL... DON'T FORGET...

Fat Quarter Shop would love for you to share your #hopeblooms or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on Instagram. For every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a Fat Quarter Shop $100 Gift Certificate! This fun contest ends January 31, 2016 and the winner will be announced on Instagram February 1, 2016. Good luck and happy quilting!

FQS Top Ten Videos Celebration: Today is Single Wedding Ring

Each day for the next 2 weeks, 
Fat Quarter Shop will share 1 of their top 10 Video's from 2015! 
  And once again,
 I am so excited to sew along with a couple of these 

videos because I had missed out on them last year.   

Did you see the video for the Charm Box quilt yesterday?

This is one I made as a sample for Fat Quarter Shop.

I really loved the pattern... the fabric is Flow by Zen Chic.

The construction method wasn't what you think it would be...

they show you a really easy trick in the video!

It was so quick to whip up

and perfect for a baby quilt!

They will be selling a kit for it on their website soon!

The video I get to help share with you today is the Single Wedding Ring quilt.

A friend of mine made this quilt when the video first came out.

I loved hers... so I jumped at the chance to sew along with the "Top Ten" 

celebration this week!

Of course, I used my Christmas fabric. It was the only think I made this season

that was for the holidays.

I love this block and the video that shows just how fun 

it is to put together! I especially nice to see how Kimberley used

the HST paper to make the 16 per block HST's. You just can't go wrong!

I found some "bonus" half square triangles while I was making 

the blocks... so, I tried them out as a border to give it even more of 

a holiday flair.

You could even make the blocks using your stash of HST's! 

I am calling this Holiday Wedding... because my oldest son 

got engaged over the Christmas break!

They haven't picked a date yet... but next Christmas sounds good to me!

I hope you join me in viewing the other bloggers that are celebration 

today! 

Here is a list of links for them:

Dana of Old Red Barn Co

Anorina of Samelia's Mum
Erica of Kitchen Table Quilting
Angie of Gnome Angel
Renee of Sewn with Grace
Sherri of This & That Patterns

But wait!

That's not all!

If you make any of the quilts that are featured in the next two weeks and post photo’s to your instragram account using the hashtags:#singleweddingring
 and #FQSTop10 and tag @FatQuarterShop 
you could win a $100 Gift Card to the Fat Quarter Shop!  
The contest will end February 1st. 

                                           Download the FREE block pattern here

                                           Purchase the quilt pattern here

                                          View the Single Wedding Ring tutorial here

Enjoy the celebration!

A Sew Along and a Resolution

I don't normally make new year's resolutions but
I felt that I needed to make a plan for quilting this year..
so I went back to making a list.
I like lists!
Mostly,  I like checking off items on a list!

So I have my list of quilt projects I have been wanting to start...
 but the other part to my plan is that for every new quilt
I start this year... I will revive an old project and finish that too.

Even though my list is 12 projects long... I will pick and choose which project
I will start each month. The same for the list of
 quilt projects to revive. I need some flexibility, right?

I do have a third aspect to my resolution...
I happen to have more than one long forgotten
block of the month...
I know,
crazy right?

I'm going to fit in my BOM's along the way also!
I'm sure that it's all workable.
Divide and conquer!
Sew my stash!
2016... I'm ready!


So, do you want to see the first project?
I'm really excited about it!

This is a sew along that is starting today! It's hosted by Cindy Lammon at
Hyacinth blog.
I thought I would start off the new year with this as my new project!
I have been wanting to make a Plus quilt for quite some time.
I love Cheryl's aka Meadow Mist Designs version with an Outlined Plus!

Last week or so, I showed this project I did using Art Gallery Fabrics.

Well, I love those fabrics SO much that I

decided to continue using them in the Outlined Plus

quilt... which I have designated for my bed.

Here is my test block.

My bedding is from the Moda Home... I've had it for about 6 or 7 years now

 and is has the same pale pink as

the center of the plus. I am not sure right now if Outlined Plus

is going to replace my comforter or just be a quilt for my bed.

It's a lot of blocks to make

 when you are making a king size quilt!

We will see.

So, that's my new project for January...
my old project... I think I had started it during the summer
before my dad died.
It's from a Tula Pink pattern that I found on Pinterest.

This is a little peek of it...

Happy New Year to you!
I will be posting tomorrow to help celebrate the
Fat Quarter Shop's Top Ten Videos of 2015!