Mystery Monday #3 Finished

We finished up the third installment of Mystery Mondays from the This & That blog.  Another fun one!  Each Monday a new step is released.  The steps are very short, which is perfect because I have so many things in progress right now.  Above is the one I completed - all from stash!  I'll have something to count out this Sunday!  I chose a large autumn leaf print as my focus fabric and chose the other colors from there.

I've been doing these mystery projects with my friend Lori.  She's in my Monday night quilting class, so it works out perfectly!  I print the clues and bring them to class that very day.  We were putting our final stiches in the border at the same time.  Below is Lori's version.  She chose a wonderful Spring daisy print for her focus fabric.  Now all we need is a Summer and Winter version and we'll have the year covered!

Design Wall Monday 03/26/12

No Just Takes 2 blocks on today's Design Wall.  Instead I have blocks for a new project that I'm working on.  I drafted it out in EQ7 and it will be for my upcoming quilting class starting in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, I fell behind on the many projects that I'm trying to keep up with because I was down with the stomach flu this week.  It just wiped me out for a few days.  I still didn't feel much like sewing this weekend, but I did do a little on Saturday and then quite a bit on Sunday.  If I work on it steadliy this week after work, I should be in pretty good shape.

Check out Judy L's blog to see what is on everyone else's Design Walls today!

Design Wall Monday 03/19/12

I'm plugging away at the Just Takes 2 project.  Two more blocks done this week.  Now I'm knee deep in the feathered star block.  I was concerned about all of the pieces in the feathered star, so I found a foundation pattern for the same block.  It's still a lot of pieces, but I feel much more comfortable with this piecing method.  This one will take a while.  The next block that was just released is a compass block that is supposed to be hand pieced.  I'm on the fence about hand piecing, so I may change out that block entirely.  I've been struggling to keep up, and I'm not sure that I have time to learn a new technique and still keep up.

Not shown on my Design Wall/Table is my almost-complete Mystery Mondays project.  Today is another clue, and I believe it is the last, since we only have borders left to add.  Maybe one more after today.  It's super cute and my friend Lori is working on the same project.  The two quilts look so different in the completely different colors!  I'll try to grab a picture of both tonight in class and post soon.

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see what is on everyone's Design Walls!

Stash Busting 2012 Week 12

No picture today - just a quick post to report my stash busting efforts!  I had forgotten that a couple of weeks ago I finished a baby quilt top that took about 2 yards of fabric - all from stash!!  I can't show it until class starts next month, but it's super cute!  Hopefully more stash to be busted soon!

Fabric in this week:  0.00 yards

Fabric in this year: 1.75 yards

Fabric out this week:  2.00 yards

Fabric out this year:  6.50 yards

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see everyone else's stash reports!

Free TQS Shows for National Quilting Day!

I have been a member of The Quilt Show since it began, and have loved the quilt community they have created there.  They release online shows every two weeks that are very informative and always motivate me to get sewing.  I have learned a lot of new techniques watching the shows.  And the best part is that you can watch the shows at your leisure once they are released.  Well this weekend they are opening up almost all of the shows for free!  Below is copied from a message sent by Alex Anderson:

In honor of International Quilt Day (March 17, 2012),The Quilt Show (www.thequiltshow.com), the web TV show hosted Ricky Tims and myself, will "open" all of its shows from the first nine series--that is, from show 100 through show 913--for the entire weekend of March 16-18. This means that–for three special days–everyone will have the chance to view these 117 shows, featuring some of the quilting world’s leading artists, for FREE.

Design Wall Monday - 03/12/12

Two more blocks finished for the Just Takes 2 project.  I'm not crazy about how they came out, but they'll be fine in the end.  Sometimes I'm overly critical of my work.  Now, looking at the picture, I'm liking them both a little more.  I have another block that is about half way finished.  I didn't realize how much work this project was going to be when I first started.  When I do get caught up, we'll be 22 blocks into the quilt.  I think I read that we'll be putting together a quarter of the quilt later this month.  But first I'll need to takle the feathered star block.  One step at a time!

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see what everyone else is working on!

Stash Busting 2012 - Week 11

I haven't been posting Stash Busting reports lately because I've been really good about not buying any fabric.  However, I did buy a little today.  I headed out to Joann's to buy some batting for a quilt, and decided to pick up a few blue fat quarters for my Just Takes 2 project.  I also finally broke down and bought a piece of fabric that I had been looking at for months.  I knew that if I waited any longer, it would be gone for good.  So I got a half yard of that one.  I've already used almost a whole fat quarter since buying it earlier today, so I'm not too concerned about adding to my stash.

Here's where I stand now:

Fabric in this week:  1.50 yards

Fabric in this year:  1.75 yards

Fabric out this week:  0.00 yards

Fabric out this year:  4.50 yards

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see everyone else's stash reports!

Design Wall Monday 03/05/12

I am finally caught up on all of the parts of the current Mystery Mondays project from the This and That blog.  I was so mad at myself because I had mis-cut some pieces of the four churn dash blocks and they came out 1/4" too small.  I had to re-make all of those blocks, which I did this weekend.  Fortunately I had plenty of fabric still in my stash.  Now I'm ready for today's clue!

I am also still working on the Just Takes 2 project, but I don't have any more completed blocks yet.  Last week's pattern set had the most challenging block yet, a feathered star.  I've always wanted to make one of those, so I'm excited about that.  I have a few blocks to make before I get to that one, though.

Check out Judy L's blog to see what everyone else is working on!

Design Wall Monday 02/27/12

Two more blocks for the Just Takes 2 project on my Design Wall today.  I did a lot of sewing yesterday, but nothing I can show yet.  I think I worked on three different projects, and none of them was a finish.  Oh well, they are all closer to being done.  I am now four blocks behind on the JT2 project, and more blocks will be released on Thursday.  I'm really trying to keep up with it, but it's going at quite a quick pace, and I have other projects in the works at the same time.  They say we'll be assembling a quarter of the quilt soon.  That will be fun - if I can get the blocks finished!

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see what is on everyone's Design Walls!

Design Wall Monday - 02/20/12

Two more blocks finished for the Just Takes 2 project.  I'm still behind, though.  I have one more block to make from one of the previous pattern releases, but then I have all of the patterns for the latest release to make.  These new ones that were released on Feb 15th seem pretty challenging, but I'm up for it!  I'm very pleased with the larger block in the picture above.  It took me a while to make it, but it's pretty cool looking and most of the points match!  I guess I better get busy and start working on the next ones.

Sorry about the smudge in the pictures lately - I'll fix that today.

Check out Judy L's blog what is on everyone else's Design Walls today.

Happy Valentine's Day 2012!

Design Wall Monday 02/13/12

I finally did some sewing this weekend!  However, not much got done during the sewing day with my Mom and sister.  More talking than sewing on my part!  I did get some cutting done, so I am ready to roll on that project next time I sit down to work on it.  Sunday I decided I wanted to do some actual sewing.  I pulled out my Just Takes 2 project and got a couple of blocks finished.  I just have two more blocks and a strip of flying geese to make to be caught up.  Of course, the next set of patterns will be released on Wednesday, and I'm pretty sure I won't have the blocks done before then.  That's okay, I'm close enough to being caught up that I don't feel overwhelmed (yet).  I decided to make the house block above using foundation piecing, which means I had to add a couple of seams.  The instructions that were given used templates and freezer paper.  I have used that method before, but I knew I could foundation piece much faster (and probably more accurately).  I'm happy with how it turned out!

Check out Judy L's blog to see what is on everyone else's Design Walls today!

Dear Jane - D7



The other day I took out my Dear Jane project box to see what I had going on in there and maybe work on a block.  I keep a lot of patterns that I've printed from the Dear Jane software in there so I can work on them when I have time.  However, in my usual unorganized fashion, I also still have block patterns in there that have already been completed.  So I needed to take stock of what was and wasn't finished.  Blogging each block really helped me out!  I came to realize that I hadn't posted the last block I made - back in November!  So here is D7 in all it's glory.  I am two seams away from having another block finished.  Which means you'll probably see it in a month or two!!

Design Wall Monday - 02/06/12

I have one meager 6" block on my design wall today.  It's part of the Just Takes 2 quilt along, and this simple block took me hours to make.  Of course I kept getting interrupted and also I had to keep stopping to watch the Super Bowl ads!  I've done very little sewing the past few weeks.  But my quilting class has started up again, and hopefully I'll get motivated to sew more, and even get a little sewing done during class.  I did pull fabrics for the Mystery Mondays quilt along, and got myself a little more organized in general.  Now I should be able to get right to it when I have a few moments to sew.  Also, I'm looking forward to a Sewing Day with my Mom and Sister next weekend.  My only dilemma will be deciding which project to work on!  I seem to have more projects in progress than I ever have had before.  Maybe I should have signed on to Judy's UFO Challenge!

Be sure to check out Judy L's blog to see what's on everyone's Design Walls today!

Just Takes 2 Quilt Along

There's a great quilt along that has just started at the beginning of this year.  It is being organized by Gay Bomers of Sentimental Stitches and Brenda Papadakis of Dear Jane fame.  They were inspired by the red and white quilts from the Infinite Variety quilt exhibit last year in New York.  They have created a free quilt along using blocks featured in some of the quilts from that exhibit.  Gay will offer a set of block patterns on her website on the first of the month, and Brenda will offer the next set of patterns on her website on the 15th of each month.  The patterns will remain free on their sites for a month, then they will charge a small fee for them after that.  So it pays to get in early!  They have all the basic information and FAQ's you need on the main Just Takes 2 website.

I've already finished the first set of blocks (posted here) and I can't wait for the next set to become available.  I decided to do mine in blue and white instead of red and white.  My plan is to make this entire quilt from my stash, and not buy anything for it.  We'll see how I do!

Join me - it'll be fun!