Hexagons

I think I've been bitten by the hexagon bug.  I've always wanted to try them but thought it would be too much of a pain.  When I was at my LQS recently I noticed they started carrying the hexagon paper pieces so I figured why not give it a try.  I picked up a package of 1 1/2" hexagons.  I spent Sunday digging through my scraps cutting out squares of fabric and tried my first two hexagons.  The Sometimes Crafter blog has a great tutorial and links to others.  It was so easy!!!

I made myself a little portable hexagon sewing kit out of a metal lunch box I found at Tuesday Morning (I love TM!).  I have a small pin cushion with a few sewing needles and pins, a thread cutter, spool of thread, my thread catcher, squares of fabric and the hexagon templates.  So far I've managed to make a few hexagons in the morning before work and during my lunch break.  I really have no plan right now, so I'll see what happens when I get them all made.

Doggie picture:

He's so adorable....

Geese

The South Florida Modern Quilt Guild has an ongoing Quilt Bee this year.  I was the Queen Bee for March and asked everyone to create a block with a flying geese theme, or as my friend says "triangles".  We have eleven people participating in the bee so I had to make one extra block.  I started doing the Circle of Geese pattern.  I had my fabrics laid out in a rainbow and started piecing the block.  Well, I really shouldn't piece late at night because I paper pieced from the wrong side of the paper.  Not so bad if I stayed consistent, but I put the rainbow in the wrong order on the next block so I improvised.

I also made some scrappy geese for a border.  I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to add a solid border.

Here's my finished block for the August Queen Bee - K-Ro.  She chose the the Garden Fence pattern from Hyacinth Quilt Designs.  The block was so easy and fun.  I think I may make this as one of my upcoming quilt projects.

Doggie picture:  My little guy was sound asleep on the couch.  I slowly peeled back his blanket to find him all stretched out and comfy.  He loves sleeping in my sewing room.

My new bag

A few months ago I made myself a new knitting bag using a pattern from Carlene Westberg Designs.  I love the bag and decided to make another to use as my everyday bag.

I picked up a Mini Tonga Treat by Timeless Treasures in the Gelato colorway from my favorite LQS - StitchCraft.  I only used 32 of the squares for the outside of the bag.

I quilted the bag with a meandering design (I still need to practice this more).  Overall though, I'm very happy with the finished bag.

$10 Block of the Month

Today I went to my LQS for the August $10 block of the month.  It was an easy log cabin block that I pieced together this afternoon.



As promised, here is the July block.  I think this one is my favorite so far.



This afternoon I decided to practice my free motion quilting.  I have so many quilt tops ready to quilt and since I'm in the middle of deciding the perfect set up for my machine I went ahead and practiced the quilting today.  I gave in and bought the quilting gloves and they did make a difference.



Hopefully I'll have my new machine set up soon.

It's been awhile...

...since I last posted.  I guess things have been a little busy around here.  At the beginning of June I was feverishly crocheting a baby blanket for my mom that she needed in time for a baby shower.  It was so boring to crochet but I stuck with it and finished it, only I didn't get a picture of it.  I've also been busy making the blocks for the South Florida Modern Quilt Bee.  June was an interesting block using this tutorial.  I started making it using the measurements provide and just couldn't get the block correctly squared up, so I started over, made everything about an inch longer and it worked.  Here's a picture of the first block that didn't square off correctly, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the second one that came out correctly.



The July block was a granny square using this tutorial.  The block on the top is the one I'm keeping for my sampler quilt and the bottom is the one I gave to the July Queen Bee.



I also completed the August block that used this tutorial.  But I'm only going to show the block I kept since I haven't give the block to K-Ro yet.  This was a fun block and I think I may make an entire quilt one day.



I've also been busy working on the $10 BOM blocks from StitchCraft.  The June block drove me crazy.



At least I really enjoyed making the July block (I'll have to post a picture later).

In the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild a round robin quilt has been going around.  I had it in June and added a cute little gnome and some hourglass blocks..

In July we had a swap that involved making something with a zipper.  I saw a cute project in a magazine for a hexagon zippered pouch.  I made one for the swap and made one for myself that has become my new bag for my knitting notions.



For August, we had a quick presentation on paper piecing and each of us is making a paper pieced chicken block.  I finished mine this weekend but may have messed up squaring it off.



Goodness, what else?  I really need to keep up to date on this blog and update it more often.  StitchCraft, my LQS, is having it's yearly challenge.  They give you a half yard of fabric that needs to be utilized in your project.  Here's this years fabric.  It's from the IOTA line by Robert Kaufman.



I finished piecing my item last weekend and just need to get it quilted.  I'll post pictures after the challenge is over.

I've also been working on a baby size quilt the past few weeks.  I'm not sure if the block pattern has a name, it's just something I sketched out on graph paper.  I'm using a really bright limey green solid for the background.  I saw it in the store and just fell in love.  I finished assembling the quilt top this weekend and pieced the backing fabric, now I just need to get it quilted.






 
I realized this weekend that I have about eight quilt tops that need to be quilted.  My current sewing table set up isn't the best for machine quilting so I'm currently on the hunt for a better solution.




On the knitting front, I'm finally getting close to finishing my Mom's sweater.



I also crocheted some squares that I'll have to post pictures of later and just started a scarf that is a gift.

Well, I think that is enough for now.  I'll have to be sure to update more often but as you can tell I've been a bit busy.  It also doesn't help that I got a NOOK for my birthday and have been doing quite a bit of reading lately too.

Can't forget the doggie pictures.  The boys get lots of sleep while I quilt.