3x6 Bee Blocks in Progress!

So today after I had figured out what kind of block I wanted to do for the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee I started on the blocks for my Bee Mates. Go Hive #3!!!

This was my test block in my colors to see if what I was thinking would transfer into an actual block. I LOVED it but.... it was too small. By like 1/2 an inch. Grrr..



So I came back about a week later and decided to thicken the strips to make it wide enough. When I was pulling scraps for the first block, greys and greens, I realized that if I did 6 strings that were thicker I wouldn't have enough fabric of the ones I wanted to use, hence the altered pattern. I still think it looks good and it was quicker so I guess it'll work for now.



This one is for lel6419 (Laura). I cut the fabrics for KvarnAnna (Anna's) black/grey/white today and will finish that one tomorrow.

My First Bee Month

So I am in the Bee Sew Joyful Bee and January is my month and instead of giving a pattern, block, fabric, or anything, I decided to just go with the theme of "owls". I'm letting them to absolutely anything they want, using any medium they want as long as I can sew the edges into a quilt. I am so excited to see what these ladies come up with!

Here is my inspiration mosaic to get their creative streaks started:



This is my first time hosting a bee month so I'm trying new things... Thanks Melissa for hosting T.N.T. Thursdays!

My First Class!

So I technically taught my first class this weekend. Yes it was to my roommate and my best friend but I had two participants and I had them both create a simple table runner complete with quilting (one did hand quilting, the other machine after seeing how long it took the other one) and then hand sewn binding.. I am pretty proud of them.

Number 1: My best friend has had this material for over a year, had it cut out for more than 9 months, and finally decided it was time to sit down and do it.

Number 2: I dragged my roommate with me to an out of town quilt shop that I had scored a groupon deal for (I got two and made her "use" one), where she got 5 FQ's and she finally sat down and made something with them!!

Number 3: I finally got my mother's brother embroidery machine to work, the foot attachment thing was screwed up and I found another one that would work and now she's good as new..except I can't find the embroidery arm. It's okay it's about a 10 year old machine and the software was only for windows 2000 and I have a mac and my mom's computer had crashed so the embroidery part was worthless anyway.

Here are some pictures of the progress, I've yet to get finished ones, my best friend (blue) is almost there, my roommate (red/yellow) is almost finished with the top.

Both sewing away


Best friend working on her top


Roommate working on her top


The dogs helping us sew


Roommate with one of her blocks


Best friend hand quilting


She has a way to go...


Best friend with hers almost done!


I'm glad my best friend tried doing hand quilting because she is getting married in March and the quilt I'm making her is queen sized and very densely hand quilted. She now realizes all the time, patience, love, sweat, tears, that goes into hand quilting and she will appreciate it so much more!

Hopefully one day I will teach a real class...oh some day.

Long Time No See

Whew. Quilting has had to take a back seat the last couple of weeks. I have had some exciting things happen in the time that has passed though:

#1 I got a bad ass iron for 50% off. (Lesson: patience is a virtue.)



#2 I finished my first quilt that I have ever given away as a Christmas present. (Scrappy Sash Quilt - no finished picture... bad me)

#3 I completed my first ornament for my guild ornament swap.



#4 I have come up with a block design for my 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee (should have one or two finished today)

#5 I have lots to catch up on so stay tuned...

Start and Finish Friday

Thanks to Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts for hosting Finish it up Friday and



I have already shown what I have been doing this week on my blog so I decided to start and finish a completely new project for this link up.

I participated in a Echino Swap a couple of weeks back hosted by Sara at Sew Sweetness and haven't had the courage to cut into the fabric yet. I decided to change that today. I needed a bag to hold by newly acquired hobby of knitting for the trip to the family's this weekend and I thought this was a fitting project to use some of the Echino in.







I used Jeni's Drawstring Bag Tutorial to make it and I definitely don't think this will be my last one. Only took about 45 minutes including seam ripping for not reading my directions... Anyone else have that problem?

Now I have a pretty bag for my pretty knitting. :)

My First Mosaic!!

So while doing some research for my 3x6 Bee I was asked to present a mosaic of inspiration. Only problem was that I had never done a mosaic. Well thank you to Kat from Mumma's Time to Create, I was able to learn how to make a mosaic in a matter of minutes.

My color scheme for this Quarter is red/orange/grey and this is my new mosaic:



I'm excited to pick the block I want to do for my beemates and see what they come up with as well!

W.I.P. Wednesday

So This week I have only finished 1 project. My "No Regrets" wall hanging, which I am in love with. Took it to guild meeting and it was a hit. I'm thinking about making a pattern and selling it on Etsy but I don't know how to make a pdf pattern. Might have to call my girl Google on that one.



I also started a new project. I found 3 matching men's shirts at a local thrift store for $2 each. I cut them up over 2 months ago into HST's but this week I finally started sewing them together to become what I think will be my first boy quilt. What do you think?





This is a sample layout with a few of the blocks. Still playing with them. I know I want to do white sashing because I want to do some hand quilting on the edges of the sashing in grey/blue. I just need to get some white Kona because the crap I bought from Joann's is completely see through... blah, I knew I should have just sucked it up and spent the extra money in the first place.

I also started the Free Motion Quilting at Fluffy Sheep Quilting. I got 4 done in one night. I have 2 more sandwiches prepared, just need to bite the bullet and do some more.



I found that even one night of practice made me feel a lot more comfortable about how I move the fabric through my machine. The only thing is that I really want an extension table thing because the arm of my machine is so narrow, even doing these little squares the sides are pulling off the arm...





Concerning my ongoing projects, I made two more Farmer's Wife blocks:



This brings my total to 11 completed blocks, 100 to go. Oh dear..

I'm working on more projects but just don't have time to list them here so come back and see what else I'm working on! Thanks for visiting and thank you Freshly Pieced for hosting WIP Wednesday!!

Hand Work

Had guild meeting last night, aka motivation to finish up some stuff. I finally finished my No Regrets wall hanging. I redid the binding and hand quilted it.





I also taught myself to knit this weekend. I really like it. I just need to learnt o relax my shoulders when doing it. Definitely have some work to do on the whole consistency issue.



Thanks to Kristen at So Happy for starting Take Your Time Tuesdays!

WIP Wednesday

I seem to keep accumulating more W.I.P.S...

Finished Projects
- Charity Quilt Top



- Sew Bee Joyful Bee Blocks





- Pizza Box Exchange Block



New Projects
- Cupcake Pin Cushion
- Scrappy Squares



- Star Flower Quilt from Link to the 30's

Ongoing Projects
- Danielle's Wedding Quilt (hand quilting in progress)
- Proportion Quilt (hand quilting in progress)



- Owl embroidery set



- Farmer's Wife QAL



Completed Tops Awaiting Quilting
- No Regrets Mini Quilt



- Topsy Twosy
- Denise's Scrappy Sash Quilt



- Heirloom X's

Thanks to Lee from Freshly Pieced for hosting W.I.P. Wednesday and JAQS Studio!

No Regrets?

So I finished my embroidery piece I talked about in Weekend Progress, and I set about to set it in borders and binding. I love the red border and the binding but I have mixed feelings about the blue border. Is it too much? Does is throw off the colors? Keep in mind, I'm going to quilt it after I get the binding on, it's so small it won't pucker in between.



I started ripping out the binding because I've decided I hate the look of machine sewn binding. (Sorry for those who love it, but the extra time is worth it to me, plus I really like sewing on binding for some reason.) Anyways I started ripping it out because I was about to rip out the blue border as well. Ha, "No Regrets" right? But I stopped myself before I got too far.

I need a second opinion. Help. What should I do with that border?

First Bee Blocks

I just joined my first bee, Sew Bee Joyful, and was super excited to get started. My first package arrived yesterday from France. Again, a first, my first international package I've ever received.



I hurriedly opened my package, which included my fabric, enclosed in this adorable little plastic baggie, and a cute bookmark for Corinne.



I couldn't wait to start my blocks, so I went straight upstairs and pumped them out. I used literally every single bit of fabric except 2-3 strips of fabric that contained lots of pink that I didn't feel fit with the rest of my vibe going on.



Corinne also asked for a siggy block so I used my little bit of leftovers for that block.



I am very happy with how they turned out, I just hope they go well with the other blocks Corinne receives from all of us. Yay! First Bee Finish!!!

My Troubled Project - Top Finished

So in the former post My Troubled Project I expressed my dislike of the pattern I was using and how I just started cutting into the piecing I had already sewn. To me, anything was better than what I had started with. But I had never just completely abandoned a pattern or plan like that before, especially without completely thinking it throught. Hence, how it falls into Try New Things Thursday, hosted at Happy Quilting.





But now, after crazily cutting everything up and sewing it back together to again in an orderly fashion I am very pleased with what has come out of it.



This is going to be for my best friend's mother in law. Weird connection right? My best friend's fiance knew when he started dating his soon to be wife that I also came along with the package. Token third wheel, basically sisters..yadda yadda. Well it's true and even to the point that even his parents have accepted me into their family as well. They even get me Christmas presents. It's crazy. He's awesome, they're awesome, and I hope this will show his mom how appreciative I am of them allowing me to be part of the family.





Thanks to Happy Quilting and JAQS Studio!