Roll of Nature's Touch Batting

Okay.  I could not get back to sleep this morning so I checked my email.  Lo and behold a missive from Joann's.  A 25 yard roll of Nature's Touch batting by Pellon for half price ($124.95).  Okay I have been on a batting binge.  Just ordered 3 sizes of Quilters Dream.    Two of them are from fabric.com which is having a 30% off sale and one from my favorite Amazon batting provider. By the way,  I am really in love with Quilter's Dream but it is too expensive to use on anything but my best quilts. Then I see this.  I bit.  I am now the proud owner of a 25' X 90" roll of batting.  Well anyway it will be on its way soon.  The shipping was only $14.95.  Not bad.



I have used this batting before and it is pretty good.  My machine likes it about as well as Warm and Natural.  I see a lot of quilt finishes in my future.

P.S.  The sale was only supposed to be good through Friday but it let me buy it at the special price.

Pillowcase for Sandy Hook Elementary

I took part in the Pillowcase Drive for Sandy Hook Elementary students.  A fellow Austin Modern Quilt Guild member and I combined our pillowcases and sent them today.  Thanks Amanda.  I was going to make two but I goofed up my first pillowcase so I went with one instead.  I heard they have collected over 5000 pillowcases.  The quilting community really responds to drives in a big way.  This is the way we know how to make things better.  I know some of my fellow bloggers sent off snowflakes.  Hopefully these gestures will make a difference in the lives of that traumatized community.

Because of this project and all of my other Christmas projects I have an overflowing scrap bin.  Guess I need to do some sorting this weekend.

I have discovered Quilters Dream Select cotton batting.  Love it.  Used if for the first time over the weekend.  No skipped stitches.  The needle just glided through it.  I shopped online today for bargains. This stuff is not cheap.  Found a 30% deal at Fabric.com.  Got a Super Queen and a Throw size with free shipping for around $32.00.  I am excited to use it again.

Wonky Stars Quilt

This is a quilt I made for myself to learn a technique.  I finally got around to finishing it.  Got some cute Kaffe fabric for the back and binding.  I am going to use it for a table topper in my office at work.  Also, between yesterday and today got two more quilts pinbasted.

My quilt is a bit on the wonky side.  I needed to square it up and that just did not happen.

My Doodle Bricks Quilt is Finished

I finally finished up another UFO from 2011.  It is from a pattern called "Doodle Bricks" by Waltzing with Bears.  I got a "surprise" 10 fat quarter pack from a shop on Etsy and I used some Moda Bella Solids White for my neutral.  It is very bright.  One of my co-workers has a granddaugher and she was interested in taking this one off my hands.  I have my wonky stars quilt quilted and ready for binding.  I just finished pin-basting my husbands very purple quilt top.  I have a goal to finish all my UFO's by the end of the year.  It probably won't happen, but at least I will get three or four done.

Doodle Bricks

I would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy end to 2012 and a blessed Christmas.  

Pillowcases for Sandy Hook

One of the blogs I followed introduced me to a Flickr group getting quilters to send around 600 pillowcases to a Milford, CT quilt shop for the students and teachers at the Sandy Hook elementary school.  They need to be received before the 1st of the year so that they can be distributed when school is back in session.

If you are interested the name and address for the quilt shop is as follows:

Quilters Corner 

312 Danbury Rd. New Milford, CT. 06776 



I think I have enough yardage to make two pillowcases.  These will be my first effort.  The blog Film in the Fridge has any easy pillowcase tutorial that I think I can even follow.  

Fishbacked Jungle Quilt

I finished with my Jungle Quilt for an active 3-year old.  Hope he enjoys the bright colors.  I sewed both sides of the binding with the machine.  No time for hand binding.  It turned out pretty good.  It is hard to see but I used a kite string embroidery stitch from my machine to quilt down the middle of the solids.  I used this really great fish material for the backing. To save buying so much fabric I put a strip of bright blue and pink fabric down my pieced back.

I finished this this afternoon and then had to get another small quilt pin basted, quilted and bound before I went to bed.  Gifts have to be delivered tomorrow.  I am happy to say said quilt is in the dryer.  Heard the dryer beep.  I may or may not get a picture of it with my iphone tomorrow before I gift it.

Phew.  It has been a very hectic gift-making week.  I am ready for a little mystery reading for a few days.

Chicken Pincushion

Thanks to the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild member Trisch for organizing the Pincushion Swap.  I love my little chicken.  Hope to see Monica V at Quiltcon.

Blue Drawstring Bags and Curious Nature Quilt

I got my other three drawstring bags done.  They are fun and easy.  Now I have all the presents done.  I used leftover blue fabric (most Amy Butler and Jason Yenter) from my daughter's blue quilt.  Thrifty me.

I also finished the binding on my youngest son's quilt.  I used a Curious Nature w/ solids bundle I purchased from Marmalade Fabrics.  It is very masculine looking.  That is what I was trying to achieve.

Now off to San Antonio to see the gang and hand out gifts.  Yeah.  I am so excited to see my granddaughters.  

Tula Pink Drawstring Bag

I had to come up with a handmade item for our gift exchange for the Austin Modern Quilt Guild.  I had been hoarding saving some Tula Pink Birds and the Bees for a special occasion.  I saw a tut on In Color Order and it seemed just the ticket.

It's Pink and its Tula

I added in one of my owl pincushions.  When we started drawing gifts someone stole it away from the original drawee for their 7 year old granddaughter.  We had a blast.  I ended up with four pink fat quarters.  Yeah.

My little owl pincushion

I am in the midst of doing three more drawstring bags. Hope I get a chance to take pictures before I give them to the granddaughters tomorrow.  

Is This Blue or What?

Ok.  I got carried away with the blue.  My daughter loves blue.  So blue she is getting.  This is going to be a wall hanging.  Mainly Amy Butler and Jason Yenter fabric.

Blue Back

Fish Back for another Christmas Quilt

Improv Block Wall Hanging-More Denyse Schmidt Love

I am not totally thrilled that it turned out crooky. This is to match my sisters Hope Valley quilt.  I needed to square it up before I bound it.  Live and learn. I am still slogging away at Christmas gifts.

A little Denyse Schmidt "Hope Valley"

Ok a lot of "Hope Valley" went into my sisters quilt.  I also made her a wall hanging which I hope to get a picture of today along with another finish.

I am not sure this colorway is my favorite but when combined with the dotty fabric it turned out really cute.  I used unrelated fabric in the same colorway for the backing and binding.

The pattern is called "Rainbow's End" from Villa Rose.  It is a postcard pattern.  She has a whole line of easy peasy patterns.

Solid Color Quilt

I finally quilted my totally solids quilt.  I had it pin basted for a couple of months.  I made this over a year ago.  My first foray into using solids only.  I also used variegated threads on the top and lavender thread in the bobbin.  This is a two sided quilt.

Color Cues

This is my first time to use a different thread on top and on the bottom.  I also made double sided binding for the first time.  It was not as hard as I thought it would be. It is hard to see but the top has blue binding and the back has dark purple.  

Lasagna Quilt and Russian Rubik Block

I finished up another quilt top for my friend Jessica's charity.  I used 2 1/2 strips of blue batiks.  It was fun.  I must say that I used a lotta lotta thread and had strips streaming everywhere.  See the cornerstones in the corner.  That is what happens when you measure your border incorrectly.

Blue Lasagna Quilt

I also started a new quilt.  The pattern is called Russian Rubik.  You cut octogons with a template and then use triangles to square up the block.  I just got one block done but I think I am going to have fun with it.  I am doing the baby size first to make sure I have the hang of it.  

It is all about charity quilts

I got my quilt kit finished for my favorite shop owner's favorite charity.  Someone had donated all this purple batik.  Can't go wrong with batik for a quilt for a young person.  I used the "Apron Strings" pattern and lots of 2.5" strips.

Various pieces of purple

Before that I finished a quilt using a charm pack of "Little Black Dress" by Moda that I won at a meet and greet with the San Antonio Modern Quilt Guild.  I had various neutral solids that I used along with the "Seashell" pattern by Villa Rose Designs.  

Lastly, I finished up some butterfly blocks for our quilt guild's charity quilt for this month.

I am behind on Block Swap Adventure.  I was on vacation, then out-of-town for business.  My swap partner for September and October both want thirties reproduction fabric.  No scraps of that in my scrap pile so I had to head to the quilt shop to buy some.  That is probably the only kind of fabric that I don't have any of in my stash.

We have our grandson for the weekend so I probably will not get much done until Monday.

And the winner is....

The winner is...

Catherine with her comment "So cute! Thank you for the tutorial. Log Cabin blocks are the best!"

I am sending you a congratulatory email as we speak.  Thanks for everyone who left a comment.  I really had a great time with the Dots on Dots Blog Hop.  Thanks again to Quilt Taffy and Madame Samm for putting it on.  

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:15

Dots on Dots Blog Hop

Here is the schedule for my fellow dots on dots blog hoppers for today.

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb 

Cate's Linens

From This to That

suemacseeds

Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting

Ellie Quilter 
 Rosemary B- that other blog

Bquiltin Studio

Nati's little things 
Madame Samm

Today is my day for the dots on dots blog hop. I have been inspired by all the dotty cuteness going on.  I decided to make a wonky log cabin for my block.  I used a tutorial by quilt dad  at the following: http://www.quiltdad.com/2009/09/quilt-along-3-wonky-log-cabin-block.html.  I will walk you through the steps.

First you need a center block. It can be square or rectangular.  Somewhere around 2.5 - 3".  You add another strip to the bottom.  No need to pin or trim to size before sewing.

Sew the two strips together and trim.  You want to make one side a little wonky.

 Add another strip on the right.  Trim a little wonky.

 Keep adding strips like a regular log cabin block.

You want to keep those slightly wonky angles.

More dotty goodness.

You keep adding strips to the block and keep playing with your slight angles.

When you think your block is getting close to size check it against your 12.5 inch ruler.

You want to make your outer rows of strips a little larger than the ruler so that you can add some final wonkiness to your block.  Quilt Dad added a white strip around the edge but I prefer to keep going with my strips.

This is the final result.  Even the dogs paw prints look dotty.  I have to admit I really had to scrounge through my stash for dots.  They are cute but not necessarily me.  Hope you enjoyed your venture into the wonky log cabin world.

Finally I have some dotty fabric left from my project.  Who does not love big scraps.  Scraps are wonderful.  Just leave a comment in order to win. I will announce the winner on Saturday.

Thanks to Quilt Taffy and Madame Samm for this fun blog hop.  If you want to see more wonky log cabin blocks head over to The Modern Quilt Guild and check out the blocks for September 20.  Modern Quilt Guild members from all over submitted QuiltCon challenge blocks to be used in charity quilts.

Peacock Quilt

I got some Plume fat quarters and I am going to pick up the peacock panel.  I am going to use Sidelight for my pattern.  This is going to be a quilt for my husband.  We have a volunteer garden at the Mayfield Nature Preserve in Austin and they have several peacocks that live on the grounds.  He really wants a quilt to remind him of the park.  It is up at the top of my list after I finish up some of my WIP's.  I got some backing fabric this week and I am ready to get cracking.

Birds, Bees and Butterfly Strands Quilt

I made a sample quilt for our charity block drive for the Austin Modern Quilt Guild.  I used a tutorial from Fresh Lemons called Birds, Bees and Butterfly Strands http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/?p=2000.  I used a color scheme of pinks and greys.  The basic block was a 8.5" square of Kona White.   I did mine as a baby quilt but we are going to do lap-size quilts.

Birds, Bees and Butterfly Strands

So easy breezy to make.  It makes a very bright and modern quilt.  Just perfect for a young girl.

I was in a scrap swap and had to make a homemade item.  I made up a slab of the same fabrics as above.  I used it for a cute zipper pouch which I did not take a picture of before I sent it off.  Hopefully my swap partner will like it.  I am a big fan of slabs.  "Sunday Morning Quilts" spoke to me as far as building slabs went.  

I am a giveaway winner. Yeah.

I went to a meetup with a sister modern quilt guild a couple of weekends ago.  We met at the Quilt Haus in New Braunfels, Texas.  Deanna, the owner of the shop, was given some charm squares packs and fabric stacks by Jim the Moda rep for a nice giveaway.  I got the grand prize.  It is 40 fat quarters of Simply Color by V and Co.  I am so excited.  I have never had that much fabric from one line.  Hmmm.  Now what to do with it.  I have been checking out queen size quilt patterns and have not found one that screamed out to me.  If you guys have any suggestions please feel free to comment.  Below is a picture of my lovely stack.  I keep the stack by my computer for inspiration.

I finished up my wonky circle of stars from the very berry kerry QAL.  I needed scraps of the very same material for another quilt so I had to get on it.  I think I am going to use it for a wall hanging.  I made the mistake of buying a very cheap piece of solid material because I liked the color.  It does not like to be ironed so I am assuming it is not going to like to go in the dryer.  Note to self:  Do not ever buy cheap solid fabric.  I am going to stick with Kona, Moda, or Michael Miller from now on.  

I have been busy putting charity quilt kits together and cutting up fabric and strips for our new charity quilt for the guild.  Today I am heading to the Austin Quilt Guild Quilt Show.  I heard they have some really fabulous quilts.  Of course there are the vendors.  Yeah.  Then on to another meetup here in Austin.  It is always fun to get together with fellow quilters.  I am hoping to win more fabric.  A charm square pack would be great.

More Quilts

I have had the quilting bug lately.  I am either piecing or cutting.  I am shopping from my stash and coming up with quilts either for friends, family or charity.  I am mostly using my tried and true patterns especially for the charity quilts.  I don't have pictures yet but hope to by next weekend.

I finished up my batik quilt.  Got to love batiks in blue. This one is going to the state charity drive as a silent auction item. 

I am still waiting to get my quilting sewing machine back from the shop.  Bad motor.  Singer is replacing the motor but I have to pay for the labor.  Can't wait to get it back so I can get some quilts done. 

Baby Quilt with TaDaDot Borders

I pieced the top of a baby quilt today.  Got to use one of my Me and My Sisters charm packs and bordered it with my TaDaDots I got with my gift certificate to SkyReve.  I won that from A Quilting Life.  I used the Verna pattern from Kate Spain.

QuiltCon Challenge Blocks

I spent all last weekend sewing QuiltCon challenge blocks that had to be mailed by Wednesday.  I was so tired of improv piecing by Monday night.  It was fun though.  I haven't made blocks like that except for one wonky log cabin.  I went kind of wild.

Here is a wonky log cabin in QuiltCon colors.

The next two are improv.

Last but not least is my paper pieced bluebonnet block in honor of my new state of residence.  Of course I refer to Texas.  The y-seam at the base of the flower gave me complete fits.  They are done and done and mailed.