I'm back!

It's been awhile since my last post, we've had a busy summer.  My niece graduated high school and is now in basic training at the Air Force!  We are so proud of her!

The blog may have been quiet but I've been busy in the sewing room.  I worked on the StitchCraft 2013 Challenge.  I didn't get a picture of the finished quilt, but the reception is this Saturday so I'll be able to get a better picture of it on display.  I really love my quilting!  I'm so proud of myself!

I also finished the Garden Fence quilt from the Simply Modern Bee on Flickr.  I really love the colors of this quilt!

And finally one more share - the Star Surround Quilt from the Happy Quilting QAL.  This is a monster at 96" square.  This quilt will go to the longarmer for quilting.

(the picture doesn't do the colors justice)

Ricky has been enjoying sleeping in the sewing room.

Birds!

The Queen Bee for June for the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild requested a bird themed block.  We could use bird fabric, applique or embroider a bird, just incorporate a bird into the block.  I did a raw edge applique bird and think it's so cute.  I hope she likes it!

I was so inspired by the idea that I broke out the fat quarter pack of Feather n Stitch by Sarah Watts (LOVE!) that I found at TUESDAY MORNING!!!  I decided to try and embroider the birds from the fabric and plan on building a mini quilt around the embroidery.

I'm also working on the binding for my $10BOM quilt.  I decided to go with a scrappy binding using the leftover solid strips.  I'm loving this quilt.

Finishing up a UFO

Today I loaded a UFO on the frame and managed to get it quilted.  Hopefully this week I'll get the binding sewn on.

I also finally finished knitting my red beaded lace shawl - FINALLY!!!  Now I just need to get it blocked and some photo's taken.  I have been busy in the sewing room I just haven't been taking as many photo's lately.  Hopefully I'll get some downloaded to the computer soon.

Here is a picture of a quilt for my younger niece - I figured it was time for her to have something new from her Auntie.

Lots of Quilting Happening Here

I've been catching up on getting my quilt tops quilted.  I spent one weekend piecing the backs to five quilts and have been chugging along on the quilting.

I finished my "Pop of Color" quilt a few weekends ago and LOVE it!  I practiced some free motion quilting doing a different design on each row of the quilt.

This past weekend I quilted my Spin Cycle quilt and am working on finishing the binding.

 

And I finished the SOCKS!!

 

Meandering along

I'm trying to catch up and get the numerous quilt tops quilted that have been laying around.  I've practiced quilting on my new frame on two charity quilts, so this past weekend I was ready to tackle a larger quilt.  One guild I belong to, the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild, completed a group quilt from member contributed blocks.  After the top was pieced I volunteered to quilt it.  The quilt is being donated to Project Linus so I did a simple meandering design since I'm still new at quilting on the frame.  It took about 2-3 hours to quilt on Sunday and I love the finished quilt!

This weekend I'm hoping to get my Pop of Color quilt quilted and then I will tackle quilting the Spin Cycle quilt for my niece (the deadline is approaching!)  For these two quilts I think I'll be a little daring and do a bit more than just meandering.

I'm still working on knitting socks for my DH.  I haven't done much knitting lately but hopefully I'll get the gusset of the sock completed tonight so I can work on them at knit night tomorrow.  I have been working on another Wingspan scarf worked in Noro Kureyon Sock.  So far I've had two knots in the yarn!!!

A few more mini's

I have two more mini's finished that I'll be donating to my guild to send to the NQA Little Quilt Auction.  I made another version of Elizabeth Hartman's "Sparkle Punch" quilt.  I really like this pattern and maybe one day I'll make a larger version.

I also made another mini quilt using Lori Holt's "Quilty Barn" tutorial as inspiration for the Barn quilt.  

I also recently finished sock #1 for my DH.  I've never enjoyed knitting socks, my first pair took a year to knit.  For whatever reason, I'm actually enjoying it this time.  It could be because I'm knitting on two circular needles which I like way better than the double points.  Sock #1 only took me one week to knit and it actually fits! Now I just need to finish sock #2.

The next few weekends I really need to spend getting some quilts quilted.  The finished tops are piling up!  I just ordered a Grace Speed Control for the Juki that I have on my frame so hopefully that will arrive this weekend so I can spend the weekend quilting.

I now leave you with a photo of the boys sunbathing...

Mini Sparkle II

I pieced another mini Sparkle Punch quilt this past Saturday.  This time I used a solid gray for the stars.  There are were so many squares to sew together!

I used scraps left over from my Pop of Color quilt and love the result.  Now I just need to get it quilted and finished as well as the Barn Block mini quilt - if only I didn't have to work!

On a different note, my old boy keeping me company while I quilt:

Busy weekend

This weekend I worked on two more mini quilts.  One quilt is based on the Quilty Barn tutorial from Lori at beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com.  When I first saw the block I knew it would make a fun mini quilt.

The block went together very fast and I think I may have to make a few more.  I'm looking forward to quilting this one.

I also went crazy chain piecing my next mini quilt.  I'm doing the Sparkle Punch again, only smaller.  The squares are 1 1/2 inches finishing to 1 inch.  Next weekend I should be able to finish the pressing and trimming and assemble the top.

Last weekend I finished piecing the quilt top to my $10 BOM Quilt that I participated in with my LQS.  I chose the neutral colorway for the blocks but in the end I decided I needed some color after all.

The first Mini Sparkle Punch quilt is finished, quilted, labeled and hanging sleeve attached. 

Little Gracie

A few months ago I had the opportunity to get a Little Gracie II frame for FREE!!!  A lady no longer had the room for it and just wanted it to go to a new home.  Luckily my Florida room is big enough to accommodate the frame and my DH was understanding.  The frame has been sitting here for a few months taunting me to use it.  Last weekend my dear, sweet Mama surprised me and brought me down her Juki 98Q "on loan" so I could use it on the frame.  I was going to set up my machine but it only has a 7 or 9 inch throat so I wouldn't have had much room to quilt, the Juki has an 11" throat so at the most I get about 4" of quilting space, that is fine with me.

Sunday my DH went over the frame, tightened screws and did some maintenance on the frame, while studied YouTube videos on how to load the leader clothes, quilt top and backing.

I finally loaded the Juki in the carriage and was ready to sew but quickly ran into a conundrum.  The frame came with a Grace Speed Control which you hook up to your sewing machine and it will replace the foot pedal.  Well, I set it up correctly for the Juki and all it would do was trigger the thread cutting feature on the machine.  I tried putting the foot pedal on top of the carriage so I can use the handle controls but it blocks the thread, so until I can replace the Speed Control I have the foot pedal on the floor.  It's not the ideal set up but it works for now.

The first quilt I practiced on was a quilt for charity with a simple meandering design.  It was so much fun!!  My DH was even impressed with how fast the machine sewed!  The setup will be great for simple quilting on utility quilts and hopefully I'll get better at making some simple designs, but it won't be anything too fancy (I'll still have to quilt a few quilts with my checkbook).  For now though I'm happy.  Thanks Mom for "loaning" me the Juki!!!  And a huge thanks to my DH for supporting my habits, I mean hobby.  I'm looking forward to finally getting some quilt tops quilted.

Quilt of Valor

About two weeks ago, I joined a group of ladies from my quilt guild for a Quilts of Valor workshop.  I had an enjoyable day sewing, meeting different members of the guild and a wonderful lunch.  It was a very enjoyable day.

I had a nice spacious work table all to myself.  I had my quilt pieces pre-cut so I was ready to sew when I arrived.

By the time the day was over I had most of the quilt top pieced.

All I had left to do was make the large flying geese blocks, sew the rows together and add the borders.  Last Sunday I finished the flying geese components and today I was able to complete the quilt top.  Now I'm working on piecing the quilt back.  I thought I bought enough of an extra-wide quilt backing but once I washed it and squared up the edges I found out that it was cut all wonky and I was inches short, so now I'm working on piecing the back.  Oh well, at least the top is done, I'll finish piecing the back tomorrow and I'll be able to turn it over at next Tuesday's guild meeting to be quilted by the longarmer.

More Mini Sparkle Punch

I managed to finishing piecing the top to my Mini Sparkle Punch quilt today.  The quilt top is currently 19" square.  I didn't get around to quilting it because I'm trying to decide on what thread color to us.  I know how I'm going to quilt it but I'm stuck on a thread color at the moment.

 

I pieced a 12" wonky star for the backing and plan on using it as a guide when I quilt.  I just love the bright floral fabric!!!

On Thursday I joined members of my guild for a day of quilting.  We worked on making a quilt for Quilts of Valor to be presented to a wounded veteran.  I managed on Thursday to piece the majority of the quilt top and I spent some time today making the flying geese for the top and bottom borders.  Once the top is completed the guild will have a longarmer quilt it and I'll just have to do the binding.  It was an enjoyable way to spend the day.

 

Mini Sparkle Punch

It is COLD in South Florida!  So it's a perfect day to be in the sewing room working on my quilts.  I'm currently working on a miniature wonky star quilt inspired by the Sparkle Punch Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman.  I cut the squares 2" so they will finish to 1.5".  So much piecing!  But I'm loving the mini so far.

 

I'm hoping to finish up piecing the top today and get it quilted while the DH is out for the day freezing his tushy off at a car show.

 

Here's a picture of my old boy keeping me company curled up in his bed and blankets with his baby.  I had to put a T-Shirt on him because I like to open the windows and enjoy the cold weather. 

 

Snail

My friend Kerrilyn talked me into making a mug rug for this month's swap at the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild.  The theme was Spring.  I found this paper pieced snail at Sewhooked.com and thought it was so adorable.  I used a variegated green thread to try and machine quilt grass.  I really liked the way it came out.

Back online...

...for now.

Over the weekend I went with my mom to a local quilt show.  There were lots of lovely quilts but the one that caught my eye was this quilt that was done as part of an online mystery QAL.

 But what I really loved was the way the quilter pieced the back!

I did manage to get some quilting done this weekend.  My friend talked me into making a mug rug for this month's mug rug swap.  I'm going to keep it a secret until Saturday because I know it will make her laugh.

I did however finish the February block for the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild Bee.  The Queen Bee asked for a wonky star block.  I had fun making this and perhaps one day will tackle a whole quilt.

not feeling comcastic

i was planning on updating my blog this weekend but i've been on the phone with Comcast too many times because we kept losing internet connection all weekend and now its completely out.  hopefully it will get fixed soon.

A Trip to Madrona Road

I finished my quilt as part of the Modern Quilt Guild Madrona Road Challenge.  The South Florida Modern Quilt Guild was sent a selection of beautiful fabrics from the Michael Miller Madrona Road collection by Violet Craft.  The challenge was to create something using fabrics from the Madrona Road collection.  We could add solids only.  My guild added the extra rule that the perimeter of the quilt could not exceed 96".  I tried numerous ideas in scrap fabric before settling on a variation of the Trip Around the World scrap block that is popular right now on the quilt blogs.  Thus "A Trip to Madrona Road" was born.  Each little square measures 3/4" finished.  The quilt is 21.5" square.  Except for the blue solid, the quilt is made entirely from the Madrona Road collection (including the backing, hanging sleeve and label).

I love the placement of the yellow and black fabrics.

 

I echo quilted the star and the Trip Around the World blocks.