kid potential

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

I have a quilt in the March/April issue of Quilty! They called it Kid Potential...but in my mind it will always be 'end of the line'. That's what I called it for the past 2+ years when it was a WIP. :) Whatever the name, it's all about using up those scraps! The finished size is 41" x 56"...so those scraps are pretty tiny. Just the way I like it!

When I was snapping photos, I happened to notice that it looks pretty wonderful with my choose joy pillow! Love it when that happens! Anyway, having to meet the deadline for publication was the perfect push I needed to turn this WIP into a finished quilt. Hurray for finishing!

 

How about you? Please link up your finishes for the week. Thank you for joining me for finish it up Friday! I so appreciate it!



finish it up Friday, 3/29/13

1.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	65.	Heather P
2.	Harleigh@Cutie and Co. Scottie Quilt	66.	Britt @ Goosie's Mom...
3.	Jo's Country Junction	67.	Karen in Iowa
4.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	68.	Irelle@JibberishDesigns
5.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	69.	Ilse @kervei
6.	Preparing the Nest @Creatin in the Stick	70.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
7.	Dee	71.	Quilt Barn
8.	Kat and Cat Quilts	72.	Judee@meinca
9.	Sophie in Santa Fe	73.	boys cross patchwork pillow - Karen NZ
10.	JHNickodemus@Just Jessica	74.	O'Quilts
11.	Dhia @ Peach Patch Quilts	75.	tubakk, Norway
12.	Drawing to Bear	76.	Jennifer @ The Days Dewings
13.	Julie-Wannabequilter	77.	Bungalow Bay Quilts
14.	Mini Monsters	78.	marianne @ Sew Paint It
15.	Terry Aske Art Quilts	79.	Shauna @ lovinquiltin
16.	Megan @ Scraps for Omi	80.	Alia @ card table, inc.
17.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure	81.	Rachael
18.	Lynn - It's Atomic	82.	Wavy Owls
19.	a maiden hair fern	83.	Walk Off The Earth Quilt Update
20.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	84.	Caroline @ Too Cute, Sew Clever
21.	rebecca@LetsBeOriginal	85.	Kristy @ Quiet Play
22.	duffle bag	86.	Heather@QuiltsintheQ
23.	Joan @ Quilting Times	87.	Paula
24.	Super Mom - No Cape!	88.	Angie in SoCal
25.	cathy@blueberrypatch	89.	svetlana@sotakhandmade
26.	Deb @ Life on the Selvage Edge	90.	Sue in WA
27.	Pauline @ QuiltnQueen	91.	Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts
28.	Alycia Quilts	92.	Ocean Waves Quilt
29.	Quilty Girl	93.	Katie @ Nap-Time-Crafter
30.	beth@lovelaughquilt	94.	Mina@Kinda Quilty
31.	Julia in Mississippi	95.	FourSquareQuilt@Logo Quilts
32.	Brenna	96.	Kirsty @ All Handmade By Kirsty
33.	Duke says sew what	97.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
34.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts	98.	lindaroo
35.	Megan @ Tales of ineptitude	99.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
36.	Jean @ QuiltAwhile	100.	Karina @ The Naked Spool
37.	kate @bound with stitches	101.	Libby @ No Airplane Here
38.	Auction Quilt	102.	Kathleen@CrabbitQuilter
39.	Steffi @ just Quilts	103.	Mason Jar Love
40.	marion @ my quilt diet	104.	Buttermilk Biscuits
41.	pam @ quiltingsquareone	105.	March Madness @ SqueekCrafts
42.	megan @ crooked tail crafts	106.	Allison @ Flip Flops and Quilt Blocks
43.	Lynn @ Alamosa Quilter	107.	Toye @ Quilting Adventures of A Ginger
44.	Beth	108.	Kerrie @ Pretty Lady Baby
45.	Megan @ Cherry Valley Designs	109.	Kim @ Lily Patch Quilts
46.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)	110.	Tara @ Stitch Fancy- Go Anywhere Bag
47.	side braid baby quilt@MakingLifePrettier	111.	Debbie @ A Quilter's Table
48.	Easter dress@craftinmechanic	112.	Catnip quilt by Val
49.	Tina @ Seaside Stitches	113.	Esther @ipatchandquilt
50.	the traveling leotard	114.	rachel@fourwisemonkeys
51.	Karen - Rainbow Quilt	115.	Ginny@fishcreekstudio
52.	Anneliese	116.	Triple Zipper Pouch
53.	karen @capitolaquilter xPlus & Secrets	117.	Chase (1/4" mark)
54.	Becca @ bryanhousequilts	118.	ChristaQuilts Hugs 'n Kisses Top
55.	knottygnome	119.	Baby Blanket & Burp Cloths
56.	Katie	120.	Been Puzzled Again
57.	Superhero Mashup: A Finished Quilt	121.	Baby Shoofly
58.	Celtic Thistle Stitches	122.	Barbara GAlloway
59.	SarahZ quilt for Sarah and Paul	123.	Lyndsey
60.	Rachel @ Snippets of Sweetness	124.	Kim - monogrammed zip pouch
61.	Geta's Quilting Studio	125.	Greg @ Grey Dogwood Studio
62.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts	126.	Quilted Tea Party
63.	Maja	127.	Karen's hand quilting
64.	Bari in MO

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

mystery quilt top

If ever there was a mystery quilt that is up my alley, this one would be it! It was the perfect pattern for my first foray into the world of mystery quilts. I love the fabrics I picked. I loved the process. I love the results. There was no strip piecing (yay!) and there is a 2" square border around the outside. Perfection!!!
(She's a bright one, isn't she?)

The mystery quilt reveal meeting was held at the library last evening and it was great fun to see all the quilts. I never tire of seeing the options that one pattern can produce. It always astonishes me, and in the best possible way.

The quilt top measures 58" x 78".

Now, I'd better get to quilting something...that stack of tops is piling up!

road trip

Before we jump into the post for today, I want to let you know that Anna from Noodlehead is giving away a copy of Sunday Morning Quilts. Head over and say hi for a chance to win!

Last Saturday my friend Brianne and I were able to take a road trip down to the La Crosse area to visit Olive Juice Quilts. The trip was something that we had talked about doing for a long time, but the details were planned at the very last minute. Thankfully everything worked out and we had a blast! Not to mention that it was the most beautiful day for a road trip.

Tula Pink spoke about her fabric designing process and she also did a trunk show. It was a very neat event to take part in! (We didn't have tickets, but we got in under the wire....with permission. :) It was awesome. Thanks Diane!)

The quilt shop itself was worth the drive down. Such a great shop! I was impressed! If you ever get the chance, or are in a hundred mile radius from there, I'd recommend that you stop in for a visit. So many great fabrics in one spot. A bit overwhelming, but in the best way possible!

Brianne and I also had the chance to meet up with Anna and Megan. We had lunch together before the Tula event and coffee with them afterwards. It is wonderful to meet up with fellow bloggers and visit in real life. We had fun laughing, enjoyed getting to know each other better and had fun comparing notes. We may have shopped a little, as well!

All in all it was an incredible day. The timing was pretty wonderful, too. My kids are on spring break this week, so it was nice to have a recharge day beforehand. It has helped a lot.

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I came home with TONS of scraps from Anna. (Thanks, Anna!) There was a very happy scrap party in my living room yesterday. Good times!

soft kitty!

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

So, I turned my little embroidered pieces from yesterday's post into a pillow. (Be sure to sign up for the book giveaway if you haven't yet.) I had plans for a zip pouch, but the pieces were a little big for that. Turns out they work nicely on a 20" pillow cover. Sometimes my projects take on a mind of their own. (That never happens to you, right?) Turns out I really like it as a pillow.

The words of the song come from the Big Bang Theory.

We like to sing soft kitty at our house.

I enjoy making envelope backed pillow. Such a simple finish!

It looks pretty good on my daughter's bed, but I have plans to send it off to a friend. My husband was relieved. He seems to think that a bed full of pillows is a little much for my daughter. I say, what's the problem with her sleeping at the end of the bed? ;)

 

There are a few little things I'd change if I made this project again, but I'm not going to pick it apart. Literally OR figuratively. Ha!

 

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Happy Friday to you!

finish it up Friday, 3/22/13

1.	Dee	64.	Toye @ Quilting Adventures of a Ginger
2.	Karen @capitolaquilter 3 finishes	65.	Sue @ SuperMomNoCape
3.	beth	66.	eggs @ Augustsnow
4.	Kat and Cat Quilts	67.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts
5.	Lee - @ Lala's Lovely's	68.	Binding Day
6.	Jo's Country Junction	69.	Aunt Marti @ 52 Quilts
7.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	70.	Elaine M
8.	Megan @ Scraps for Omi	71.	Amy @ Sew Incredibly CraZy
9.	Julie-Wannabequilter	72.	Barbie@thequiltingmill
10.	Reese @ Quilty Reese	73.	Handprinted fabric
11.	Debbie @ Angel Scraps Quilting	74.	dedra
12.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts	75.	Chevron Baby@Craftinmechanic
13.	Joan @ Quilting Times	76.	Little Island Quilting
14.	Geta's Quilting Studio	77.	Carolyn
15.	Jen @ A Quilting Jewel	78.	Libby @ No Airplane Here
16.	Kate @ Bound with Stitches	79.	Kira@labellacolori
17.	Diane	80.	Camo Quilt @ Ready, Set, Sew, by Kelly
18.	Shake your BOOTIES :)	81.	Fabadashery
19.	Shannon @ Finished Garment	82.	Anna and Sarah @ Quackadoodle Quilt
20.	syglad	83.	Anna and Sarah @ Quackadoodle Quilt
21.	ironing board cover	84.	Jenny @ Down to Sew
22.	cathedral window pincushion	85.	Karina @ The Naked Spool
23.	Marion @My Quilt Diet	86.	Ida @ The Magic of Ordinary Days
24.	Hexed by Peeps Quilt	87.	Triple Zipper Pouch @ SqueekCrafts
25.	Laura C @ littleandlots	88.	Terri @ QuiltNCards
26.	Maja	89.	marianne @ Sew Paint It
27.	knottygnome	90.	Quilt Barn
28.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	91.	Oz Quilt & Giveaway!
29.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	92.	Rita @ Mochi Studios
30.	tubakk, Norway	93.	Moneik @ Moneikquilts
31.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	94.	Easy Easter Basket Tutorial
32.	Valerie (Evening in the Garden)	95.	Kerry @ ModernMaterialGirl
33.	Nautical Mini Quilt	96.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
34.	ChristaQuilts French Roses Top Done	97.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)
35.	Marcella at short attention span girl	98.	Agata
36.	Mini Stars!	99.	Red One: A Completed Ohio Star Quilt Block
37.	Alison's New York Beauty	100.	wish2stitch
38.	Taryn @ Pixels to Patchwork	101.	Nursery Almost Finished!
39.	Becky @ it's sew immaterial	102.	Linda - Audra's Iris Garden Quilt
40.	Stefanie	103.	Sister Clair
41.	Celtic Thistle	104.	Jeneta@Plum Jam
42.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	105.	Kathy @ CarpeLanam
43.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	106.	Dresden Quilter
44.	Tara@ Stitch Fancy- swap package	107.	alidiza
45.	Alycia in Co	108.	Cathy L -Sane and Crazy Quilting
46.	Caroline @ Too Cute, Sew Clever	109.	JHNickodemus@Just Jessica
47.	Ann @ Carrying Sunshine	110.	Shanna @ Red Poppy Quilts
48.	Dancing Stars - Global Nomad Quilt	111.	Karen in Iowa
49.	simple life placemats @ lea & lars	112.	Pauline @ Quiltnqueen
50.	Nina - Toft's Nummulite	113.	Couch Meow
51.	bee	114.	Baby Quilt by Jessica @ Pesca Presents
52.	cathy@blueberrypatch	115.	Ellie Q's Dresden
53.	Hopeful Homemaker	116.	Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts
54.	Angie in SoCal	117.	baby quilts
55.	Alia @ card table, inc.	118.	Snowcatcher
56.	Kerrie @ prettyladybaby	119.	Liz @ Shush I'm Quilting
57.	Kaleidoscope Quilt @ MakingLifePrettier	120.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
58.	Charlotte@GrammieQs	121.	Janine @ Rainbow Hare
59.	Britt @ Goosie's Mom...	122.	Kathleen@CrabbitQuilter
60.	Freddie	123.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
61.	Madrona Road Challenge Quilt	124.	JG
62.	A Cowboy Kid	125.	Katherine
63.	Lucy @ Charm About You

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

S is for Stitch blog tour

Today I am happy to be a stop on the S is for Stitch blog tour.

S is for Stitch is written by Kristyne Czepuryk, who is the lovely and talented woman behind the blog Pretty By Hand. Her work is amazing! It's ALL so pretty and inspiring to me. I think she may love pink even more than I do!

I'm not normally an embroiderer, even though I have all the supplies. (Funny how that works, isn't it?) As a child I embroidered a few dish towels, but not much beyond that. It is a skill that I would like to have in my repertoire.

This book gave me the confidence to try my hand at it once again. My first project was to embroider this little kitty, which is one of the many patterns in the book. I am pretty excited with the results!

My kids saw me stitching and they all wanted to embroider something, too. (Even my boys!) They enjoyed paging through the book and picked out projects. I helped my 12 year old get started on the inch worm. He is doing a great job so far and he enjoyed it! The other two are still waiting for their first lesson. :)

After the success of my kitty, I had to try my hand at words. I wrote out the lyrics to soft kitty (from the Big Bang Theory) and stitched them up. (I have fun plans for these!) The words were a little tricky. Next time I would make the letters a bit larger and leave more space between some of them. But, all in all, not too bad.

Things I like about this book....

 

The stitch guide is straightforward and very clear. I learned what an outline stitch is and how to do it. I also worked my way through a few colonial knots. (Don't look too closely...still more practice needed there.)

There are tons of cute patterns! A set for girls and a whole other set for boys. It's really hard to find good boy stuff, if you ask me. It totally passed the test with my boys.

Kristyne offers basic guidelines and options, then she encourages you to choose the method that works best for you. I love that! It's so much better than a rigid set of do's and don'ts.

The book is wonderful for beginners (that's me!) but I would imagine that it would be equally wonderful for a well experienced stitcher.

I love that the projects are stitched up into QUILTS! (A big shock there, huh?) Beyond that, there are other options shown: pillows, soft toys, clothing and framed pieces. So many fun ideas!


If you would like a chance to win your very own copy of the book, please leave me a comment in this post. In your comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on embroidery, since that's the subject of the day. I'll pick one winner on April 4th. US resident winner will receive a hard copy of the book or an international resident will receive an eBook. Oh! Please be sure to leave your email in your comment, so I can contact you should you win.

Please be sure to follow along the tour for more chances to win.

Allison Rosen - stashbooksblog.com - Tuesday, March 19

Allison Harris - cluckclucksew.com - Wednesday, March 20

Amanda Jean Nyberg - crazymomquilts.blogspot.ca - Thursday, March 21

Amy Sinibaldi - nanacompany.typepad.com - Friday, March 22

Anne Sutton - bunnyhillblog.com - Monday, March 25

Lori Holt - beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.ca - Tuesday, March 26

Sherri McConnell - aquiltinglife.com - Wednesday, March 27

Kristyne - prettybyhand.com - Monday, March 28

mystery quilt progress

Thanks for all your nice comments on the mystery quilt post yesterday. I LOVED reading them! It's good to know that I'm not the only control freak out there!!! :) But I have to say, I am enjoying this project SO very much!

Here's what I've done so far....

First, I cut my strips. I really love this fabric pull! From what I read in the comments yesterday, I believe this is a must!

Then I sub cut all my strips.

And then I cut some more. (That was a whole LOT of cutting all at once.) See those lovely piles of 2.5" squares? That is a great sign that this quilt is right up my alley! I almost did a jig when I read that there was no strip piecing involved.

I pulled out a paper bag to aid in random piecing. Well, I started out this way. Before the last few blocks were sewn up, I planned them out in order stitch rip as little as possible. It worked beautifully.

I was so excited to finally start sewing. Having each step broken down into sections allowed (forced) me to do other tasks in between. You know, like helping with homework, shoveling snow and cooking dinner. :)

I worked on this off and on all day long. I loved having all the steps ready and waiting for me rather than waiting for the steps each week. Not only am I a control freak, I'm impatient, too.

And here are my blocks. I'm half done with the clues...and I can't wait to see what happens next! So far so good!

As I was sewing yesterday, I kept thinking about how symbolic this quilt is for me at this stage in life. I haven't shared a ton about my current personal situation, but here it is in a nutshell. Last October my husband took a new job in central Minnesota. He started working there 5 days after he accepted the job. We live in Wisconsin and he's been commuting daily for 5 months now. It's an hour and a half drive (on a good weather day) each way. Many days he gets home around the time the kids are going to bed. We have our house on the market (that was/is a huge task in and of itself) and we are beyond anxious to sell it so we can move. I haven't been handling the stress all that well. (To those of you who know me in real life, you can laugh at that statement. I totally would.) To say that I'm impatient would be an understatement. And that whole giving up control thing? I'm pretty terrible at it. It's been a long and hard road. Lots of dark days and many tears. I know we have a lot to be thankful for (a home, employment, food, and so much more) and I am beyond excited to think of the day when this will all be behind us. I can't wait. All that to say, I'm calling this quilt relinquishing control. Maybe I will have that all figured out by the time I get this quilt done? One can only hope.

mystery quilt Monday

I've never done a mystery quilt before, but I always thought it would be fun...and completely challenging. I'm a bit of a control freak. Heh.

There is a library in a neighboring town that runs a mystery quilt program a few times a year. Each week a new clue for the quilt is given, then several weeks later they host a night of show and tell. A friend picked up the clues and kindly sealed them up in a series of envelopes so I couldn't peek. :) The reveal meeting is next Tuesday night. Today I'm jumping in with both feet. I've got my fabric pulled, so it's time to start cutting. I'm excited!

Have you ever made a mystery quilt? What was your experience? Did you like it? Love it? Was it challenging? I'd love to hear your experience!

Happy Monday to you!

mini Sunday morning

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

This was a great week of finishing for me. The biggie was getting my rainbow log cabin quilt finished. (Hurray for meeting a deadline!) I was able to finish this low volume mini, too.

I'm (slowly) sewing up mini samples based on the projects in Sunday Morning Quilts to hang at my LQS. This one is an instant favorite! There is something so special about low volume quilts. Probably because they look instantly vintage....aged, faded, sweet.

I did more of this swirly quilting....what I like to call cinnamon roll quilting. :) 

The backing is a sweet dot from Connecting Threads.
(I'm sorry to say that it's now out of print.)

I bound it in a lovely Henna garden print. Just like a cherry on top. :)

It's based on Cheryl's quilt titled Sunday Morning. I had lots of scraps leftover from making my own large version last summer. I love LOVE love low volume! I can not wait to play some more!

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes. Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 3/15/13

1.	Shauna @ lovinquiltin	58.	Late Christmas Gift
2.	Salt Water Triangle Quilt	59.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)
3.	Janine @ Rainbow Hare	60.	Shamrock for St. Patrick's Day
4.	Megan @ Scraps for Omi	61.	Monkey See
5.	Leaders and Enders Scrap Blocks	62.	I QUILT FOR FUN
6.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	63.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting
7.	Kerstin@sunset sewing	64.	Maja
8.	Reese @ Quilty Reese	65.	Bungalow Bay Quilts
9.	A Quilt Is A Hug	66.	megan @ crooked tail crafts
10.	Rebecca@LetsBeOriginal------	67.	Becky at Solar Threads
11.	Sarah @ {no} hats	68.	Celtic Thistle
12.	Fabadashery	69.	Quilt Barn
13.	Chase {1/4"mark}	70.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
14.	beth@lovelaughquilt	71.	Elaine M
15.	Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts	72.	Deb @ asimplelifequilts
16.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	73.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure
17.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	74.	Joan @ Quilting Times
18.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	75.	karen @capitolaquilter TweetTweetTwist
19.	Kat and Cat Quilts	76.	Brenda@scrapsandstrings
20.	Mina@Kinda Quilty	77.	"Children at Play" crib quilt
21.	GIANT Scrappy Star	78.	Sue @ SuperMomNoCape
22.	Central Park Cheveron	79.	Beth @ Hello Quilty Lady
23.	Geta's Quilting Studio	80.	Casey @ Casey York Design
24.	marion @ myquiltdiet	81.	Linda's Little Town Quilt
25.	Maggies's Classy Hooch Press	82.	Jess @ Lifeunderquilts
26.	Kate @katiemaequilts	83.	zip pouches - dumplings - Karen NZ
27.	Foster @ fosterreviewsit	84.	sophie - preparing to quilt it
28.	Little Island Quilting	85.	Inès @ Thready Bear
29.	tubakk, Norway	86.	Christin
30.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts	87.	Craftinmechanic
31.	Megan @ Cherry Valley Designs	88.	marianne @ Sew Paint It
32.	2ne	89.	St. Barths Pillows
33.	Katrine	90.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
34.	Laura @ Super Sweet Life	91.	Noodlehead Divided Basket
35.	"Lilly" Bag	92.	Slouchy
36.	Our Busy Little Bunch	93.	Barbara
37.	Alia@ card table, inc.	94.	Britt @ Goosie's Mom...
38.	Carpet	95.	Augustsnow
39.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	96.	sparkle@ Augustsnow
40.	Valerie (Evening in the Garden)	97.	Julie @ Wannabequilter
41.	VW-transporter Toilet-bag	98.	Cristina @ All The Pretty Things
42.	a maiden hair fern	99.	Katie @ Nap-Time-Crafter
43.	cathy@blueberrypatch	100.	Sarah C.
44.	Gunilla	101.	PatchyRose
45.	Cecile	102.	Vanesa @ New Nest Designs
46.	Jenniffier's Sometimes Creative Life	103.	karen @ bloomingpoppies
47.	SewMeSomethingGood	104.	monaluna play mat
48.	Elisabeth @ Shark's Dinner	105.	Amy in UK
49.	Terry Aske Art Quilts	106.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
50.	little princess pettiskirts	107.	Jess @ Quilty Habit
51.	pouches @ Making Life Prettier	108.	annies rubyslipperz
52.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	109.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt
53.	Lucy @ Charm About You	110.	Bur Oak Life, Block #6
54.	Shine @ Creatin' in the Sticks	111.	Twisted PEZ @ My Ordinary Magic
55.	Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy	112.	Becky @ it's sew immaterial
56.	Spinning in the wind	113.	Rene' Creates
57.	Meredith @piecinginthenook	114.	Lorna McMahon

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

sewing Saturday

Last Saturday Heather and I headed up a sew day at our church. We both have the desire to make quilts to help others in need. There are so many people going through dire situations that could use a quilt. So, the Wednesday before the scheduled sewing day we got together and pooled a bunch of our fabric. We had a massive round of fabric with friends (yay!!!) and pulled these stacks for potential quilts. It was so. much. fun!

On Saturday we ironed, cut, sewed, pressed, and sewed some more. The 6 of us that got together made lots of progress! As far as patterns go, we kept things nice and simple.

Easy as pie.

Baby bricks.

And good old patchwork. (These rows still need to be sewn together. That's today's project.)

In addition to the quilts shown above, two other quilts were cut out and started. It felt great to get this fabric out into the daylight and to finally use it! Plus, it's always fun to sew with friends. For a good cause? Even better.

done!!!

 

I started this quilt on Wednesday and I finished it about 3 this afternoon. Yahoo!!! I was fueled by plenty of coffee and mountain dew. :) So much I could say about this one, but I'll just let the photos speak for themselves. One thing I do have to say is hurray for machine binding! I fell in love with it all over again today.

The quilt measures 60" x 72".

Happy HAPPY Monday to you!

log cabin

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

I have no finish to share today, so I'll show you this work in progress instead. I'm remaking my rainbow log cabin quilt, only not wonky this time (for pattern writing purposes). It's been awhile since I've put myself through a last minute marathon sewing session. It's kind of fun and kind of nerve wracking all at once. House showings thrown into the mix add a new level of crazy, but I'll take it! (I'm soooooooo anxious to sell. this. house.)

Anyway, I'm glad that the quilt is finally to this point. Only borders and finishing to go! I LOVE how it looks like stained glass in the window.

How about you? Any finishes to share? Please link up! Thanks for joining me and happy Friday!
xo

finish it up Friday, 3/8/13

1.	Megan @ Scraps for Omi	61.	Sidekick Tote and Accessories
2.	Kerstin@sunset sewing	62.	Kerrie @ Pretty Lady Baby
3.	alidiza	63.	Megan @ Cherry Valley Designs
4.	Wendy @ CabinFibers	64.	Katie @ Nap-Time-Crafter
5.	Bungalow Bay Quilts	65.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson
6.	Little Island Quilting	66.	Circa, Curry, and Cerise
7.	Geta's Quilting Studio	67.	tubakk, Norway
8.	Nina - Toft's Nummulite	68.	Maja
9.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	69.	A modern baby quilt
10.	Gunilla	70.	Penny :) - lap quilt
11.	Joan @ Quilting Times	71.	Cheryl Arkison
12.	Fabadashery	72.	Julie @ Julie's Quilts
13.	LC @ L White Limited	73.	Valerie (Evening in the Garden)
14.	Minnie Loves	74.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
15.	Julia in Mississippi	75.	Kelli@ Seriously..I think it needs stitches.
16.	Kat and Cat Quilts	76.	cathy@blueberrypatch
17.	Our Busy Little Bunch	77.	Upcycling Pj's to quilt- Karen NZ
18.	Pieces of Cotton	78.	Lisa's Quilted Life
19.	Drawstring Bags @MakingLifePrettier	79.	Jean @ QuiltAwhile
20.	Karen @capitolaquilter	80.	Kira @ labellacolori
21.	Terry Aske Art Quilts	81.	Anita @ Bloomin' Workshop
22.	Chase {1/4"mark}	82.	Kelli @ Quilter Kel
23.	Elisabeth @ Shark's Dinner	83.	Teresa @ Jolie's Junebug Boutique
24.	Bari in MO	84.	Lauren @ charlottesgRACEforacure
25.	Andi @ Glimpse-life	85.	Heart quilt....by CJ
26.	Brenda with a giveawy	86.	marianne @ Sew Paint It
27.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	87.	abby@latimerlane
28.	Made with Love and Ladybug Hugs	88.	Britt G.
29.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	89.	Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
30.	Texas Lovely: Mullet Quilt	90.	megan @ crooked tail crafts
31.	Elena- Cosiendo Sueños	91.	Amanda @ Fabric Engineer
32.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	92.	Sarah C.
33.	Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts	93.	Kindle Cover & Magnets
34.	a maiden hair fern	94.	Tara @ Stitch Fancy-- Huge Tote Bag
35.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)	95.	Purple Patchwork: A Finished Quilt
36.	Kerry @ ModernMaterialGirl	96.	Ice Cream Truck: A Finished Quilt
37.	A Quilt Is A Hug	97.	Lina@Smultronbopieceful
38.	syglad	98.	Clair
39.	Colourful Runner	99.	Barbara
40.	Wedding Quilt blocks	100.	Jennifer @ The Days Dewings
41.	Memory Pillow	101.	Karla
42.	Marion @ My Quilt Diet	102.	Simple Sewendipity
43.	Iiz @ shush I'm quilting	103.	Diane
44.	CRAZY Booties & Receiving blanket	104.	Caroline @ Too Cute, Sew Clever
45.	Medallion Quilt Center	105.	Molli Sparkles
46.	Posy baby girl quilt	106.	SproutbabySprout
47.	Jenniffier	107.	April - Little Mama Hen
48.	Debbie	108.	Cheerful Homemaker
49.	Dee	109.	Gemini Jen NZ
50.	Lucy @ Charm About You	110.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
51.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	111.	Katherine
52.	Brenna	112.	Jeni B Quilts
53.	JHNickodemus@Just Jessica	113.	Karla
54.	Jean Burke	114.	Inés @ Thready Bear
55.	two.hippos	115.	Rachel @ Snippets of Sweetness
56.	Rita @ Mochi Studios	116.	Agata
57.	Marla @ Sew Hungry	117.	Bur Oak Life
58.	Rachel @ The Life of Riley	118.	Cristina @ All The Pretty Things
59.	Quilt Barn	119.	rosa
60.	Freddie	120.	MadronaRoadBlock @Squeek Crafts

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leftovers quilt top

I finished my leftovers quilt top last night. I REALLY LOVE this one! The odd ball block in warm colors is a very fun addition. It adds just the right amount of ZING!

Today is a snow day and my kids are home from school, which means I had photography help. (Yay!!!) It's really hard to convey the scale of the quilt in the photo. It doesn't look that big, but I was standing on a 4' pile of snow. The top measures 68" x 90 something. So, it's a decent size. :)

Too bad I couldn't spend the rest of the day quilting it........

leftovers (in progress)

I came this close to starting a new project today, but my sensible side won out and I decided to work on a WIP instead. If I buckle down, my WIP list could be in the single digits soon. That would something!!! (It's been ages.)

This quilt is called leftovers, because that's exactly what they are. Leftovers from this quilt on a background of Kona Ash.

It looks simple enough. But oh, man. It has been a challenge! I'm determined....it. will. not. beat. me. :)

One nice thing....the back is already pieced! (The bits of blue on each side in the photo above.) The back is actually more leftovers...it was the first attempt at a backing for my drano quilt. Handy, wouldn't you say?

Happy Monday to you!

hexagon pin cushion

Welcome to finish it up Friday! And a very happy March to you!

I stitched up this vintage hexagon pin cushion yesterday just so I'd have something to share today. This is my very first hexagon project ever, which is kind of hard to believe.

About a year or so ago someone from a quilting group that I belong to gave me a bag of pre-cut vintage hexagons. What a treasure! Many many years ago someone had painstakingly cut out each one of these pieces of fabric by hand. (there are a LOT of them!) I even found a sand paper template and a hand drawn cardboard template amid the fabric pieces. Super fun!

I made my own hexagon templates from card stock so I could English paper piece the flower shape. Then I appliqued the hexagon flower onto a linen background. I love the vintage bits on the linen...it's like they were made for each other!

It is filled with crushed walnut shells, so it has a lovely weight to it. (Crushed walnut shells can be found in the reptile section of pet stores.) To finish I usually just whip stitch the opening closed and it's sufficient. This time I used a ladder stitch and silk thread to close the opening instead. The combination of the two made the final seam nearly invisible!! I'm pleased as punch!

 

The pin cushion is 4 1/2" finished. And you guessed it....I LOVE it!!!

 

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Happy Friday!

finish it up Friday, 3/1/13

1.	Dhia @ Peach Patch Quilts	53.	Puppy Love
2.	Nancy at joy for grace	54.	FourSeasonsInOneDay @SqueekCrafts
3.	Dee	55.	Becky at Solar Threads
4.	a maiden hair fern	56.	Creatin' in the Sticks
5.	A Quilt Is A Hug	57.	Little Island Quilting
6.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	58.	Birthday Doll Bed
7.	Megan @ Scraps for Omi	59.	Kathleen@CrabbitQuilter
8.	Joan @ Quilting Times	60.	Irish Chain Quilt @ Greens & Jeans
9.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	61.	Cheerful Homemaker
10.	Beth @ plum and June	62.	Rachel @ The Life of Riley
11.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	63.	Sue @ SuperMomNoCape
12.	Snowman finish by Ellie Q	64.	karen @ bloomingpoppies
13.	Kat and Cat Quilts	65.	Quilted Words - a Finish
14.	Quilt for My Boy @ CabinFibers	66.	Sew Paint It
15.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	67.	Anna and Sarah @ Quackadoodle Quilt
16.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)	68.	Liz@Shush I'm Quilting
17.	Apron Swap	69.	Valerie (Evening in the Garden)
18.	Catarina	70.	I'm out of here! @ Sewfrench
19.	Kate @katiemaequilts	71.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
20.	Elena - Cosiendo sueños	72.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
21.	Katie @ Nap-Time-Crafter	73.	Tara @ Stitch Fancy- owl bag & pouch
22.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	74.	Sarah C.
23.	Linda - My First Quilt!	75.	Cathy L -Sane and Crazy Quilting
24.	Jessica@Just Jessica	76.	tubakk, Norway
25.	Alycia Quilts	77.	Kate
26.	Bungalow Bay Quilts	78.	Cristina @ All The Pretty Things
27.	A Wee Start by Karina @TheNakedSpool	79.	BJ
28.	Bella baby quilt @ lea + lars	80.	Julia in Mississippi
29.	Lucy @ Charm About You	81.	Shanna @ssparrowinflight
30.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	82.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
31.	Quilt Barn	83.	Irelle@JibberishDesigns
32.	Alia @ card table, inc.	84.	Notting Hill Greek Cross Quilt
33.	My First Applique by Hand :)	85.	Lisa @ Sew Blue
34.	Deb @ asimplelifequilts	86.	Sewn by Leila
35.	Marion @ My Quilt Diet	87.	CUte Kitchen Towel Set
36.	LARGE Star Top	88.	Parker House Rolls
37.	2ne	89.	Barbara
38.	Whirlygig Quilt	90.	Brenda@scrapsandstrings
39.	Julie @ Julie's Quilts	91.	baby boy blanket
40.	Jenniffier	92.	let your heart be strong
41.	Elaine @ Dashasel Sews	93.	Lisa @ Calicos In Bloom- Twisters
42.	beth@lovelaughquilt	94.	Jeni B Quilts
43.	tara	95.	Caroline - Frog Pillow
44.	Maja	96.	Caroline - Rapunzel
45.	My Tumbler Quilt is FINISHED!!!!	97.	Cup of tea and a slice of cake
46.	The Little Red Hen- Grand Right and Left	98.	Karen @capitolaquilter More for March
47.	Heather @ Winding Bobbins	99.	Who's There
48.	Kerry @ ModernMaterialGirl	100.	Spools by Theresa @ Sew & Sews
49.	lisa@hilltophouse	101.	Fabadashery
50.	Simple Sewendipity	102.	Lina@Smultronbopieceful
51.	Linh @ Elvy Crafts	103.	PugMom Quilts!
52.	Pillar of Fire	104.	szkornelia

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