Feathered Friends...

aka Summer Days ...aka the April Schnibbles selection from Another Year of Schnibbles hosted by Sinta of Pinkcushion and Sherri of A Quilting Life.

Feathered Friends - 37" Square

I'm happy to admit that I didn't wait until the last minute to make this quilt (unlike January's, February's and March's).  This was by far the most time consuming one of them, so if I had, I don't think I would have finished in time.  (Despite having finished the top almost a week ago, I have of course waited until the last minute to post about it...)

Feathered Friends Quilt Top

The pattern this month is Summer Day by the incomparable Carrie Nelson.  I used 2 Charm Packs of Luna Notte (love that fabric) and added some applique to the center of mine.  I taught a class last year and had this little bird applique sitting around waiting for a project to use it on.

Starting Materials for the April Quilt

This was also the first time I tried the Mini Fit to be Geese ruler.  There are a mountain of flying geese in this quilt and while it didn't make them any more fun to make, they did come out perfectly in the end.  Assembling the quilt went smoother, but it still felt like I spent days making those flying geese.  Wait, that's because it actually was days!

Because I wanted to ensure a nice variety of flying geese in the quilt, I went overboard on making them and ended up with an extra gaggle or two of them.  I was able to use a couple dozen in the label....

Future Label for Feathered Friends

But still had quite a few left.  Well, with the current price of fabric, I decided to piece the back as well and found a spot for all but one lonely goose....

Future Backing for the Feathered Friends Quilt

Now this quilt will join the multitude of others waiting to be quilted sometime in the 'near' future.  Although funny enough, I already know exactly how I want to quilt this one!

Until later...

And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. 

Hebrews 13:16 (NLT)

Temptation...

Could you walk by this or would you have to stop and rub that belly?  What if I told you it's as soft as it looks?

Until later...

For we live by believing and not by seeing. 

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)

Someone needs a nap...

The last couple of weeks have been insanely, crazy busy and I'm having trouble keeping up.  Obviously some things are falling by the wayside (including blogging and getting enough sleep).  It started went I traveled to visit my family to celebrate Easter and my niece's birthday.  I always have a wonderful time visiting them, but this time, one of them followed me back.  This week is Spring Break for my niece Gracie and she came to stay for a few days.

Gracie and Sam

This is the first time she's stayed over and the pets didn't know what to make of it.  The cats weren't quite sure if they liked it, while our dog Gabriel loved having her own 'kid' around.  Unfortunately, Gracie is very allergic to cats and we weren't sure how she would do around 4 of them.  Especially when one of them climbed on top of her luggage within minutes of her arriving...

Sam on Gracie's luggage

I was very careful to keep all of her stuff in a plastic bag for the rest of her visit and she didn't have a single issue with her allergies.  Praise God!

I had SO MUCH FUN while she was visiting.  We ate, worked out, sewed, played, ran errands and basically did everything except sleep.  Having no children of my own, I also learned 2 very important lessons: (1) kids are very expensive, and (2) kids are exhausting!  I now have a much greater sympathy/empathy for her mom.  (I'm also hoping she'll let her come back and play for another week during the summer.)

Gracie is just now interested in learning to sew and has finished her very first embroidery block.  It's from one of the Nancy Halvorsen books although I can't recall which right now.

Gracie's First Embroidery Block

She's working on her second one and has told me that I need to send her another one once she's finished with it.  While she worked on hers, I managed to finish my 3rd Snowman A to ZZZZ block...

Block 3 - C is for Candy Canes

The Candy Canes took a little while to stitch up, but otherwise this block finished pretty quickly.

Block 3 - Closeup

I was planning on putting these aside and finishing my Baltimore Halloween quilt now, but I'm going on a quilt retreat next week and this will be great to work on in the evenings.  Once I return though, I really, really have to finish the Halloween quilt - after I catch up on all the missed sleep that is!

Until later...

"But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" 

Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)

Stash Report Week #9 - 12...

March 4 - 31, 2012

Soooo much more sewing going on here lately.  I finished 1 quilt, a quilt top and a handy dandy coupon organizer.  Oh, and I also bought some fabric this past week too.  Surprisingly, I actually have stuff to report this time!

Let's start with what I used.  My last couple of posts have shown the bulk of it.  I finished La Maison a couple of days ago and I used 1.75 yards for the back and binding.

La Maison - First completed quilt of 2012

Yesterday I also managed to finish the quilt top Child's Play.  This will be a donation quilt once it's quilted.  I used 2.75 yards for this one.

Child's Play Quilt Top

Finally, a couple of weeks ago while visiting my mom, we each worked on making a coupon organizer.  We used the pattern Coupon Organizer by iSew.  This was a fun little project.  The directions were very clear, but of course, we made a few changes of our own.  Unfortunately, when I was done, I realized it was a little too small for me to use.  I'm going to have to make another, much larger one in the future.  My mom decided it was useable for her, so she's keeping the one I made and gave hers as a gift to a friend.  I used 1.25 yards to make mine.

Mom's Red Organizer and My Blue One

A look inside...

Those are all the projects I finished in the last month for a grand total of 5.75 yards used.  Coincidentally, this almost perfectly balances my fabric purchase of the past week.  I bought 2 Layer Cakes of Butterscotch & Roses by Fig Tree Quilts.  I have a lap quilt in mind for these.

2 Layer Cakes of Butterscotch & Roses

So...
Purchased-this-week: 5.5 yards
Used-this-week: 5.75 yards
Purchased-to-date: 15 yards
Used-to-date: 26 yards
Net used: 11 yards

Not very impressive numbers this year, but I have spent more time in my sewing room this past week.  It's a trend I really hope to continue.  And lucky me, I'm also going on another quilting retreat in a couple of weeks.  I'm bound to get lots of eating talking sewing done then!

Until later...

“He is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you” 

Exodus 34:14 (NLT)

Child's Play...

Whew!  I didn't think I would make it, but with only about an hour to spare, I've finished March's Schnibbles project.  In case you haven't heard, Sherri and Sinta are hosting Another Year of Schnibbles and this month's selection was Bibelot by Carrie Nelson.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to participate this month, but after seeing so many beautiful quilts made from this pattern, I made time.  I used 2 Charm Packs of ZaZa by Erin Michaels and some white Kona cotton for my version.

Fabrics for my Bibelot quilt

When I make a quilt and pick out the fabrics, I have to know who I'm making it for.  Seeing the bright primary colors in these Charm Packs, I decided this would make a great quilt to donate to Project Linus.  I separated the fabrics into their color groups and then pondered possible layout options.

Fabrics separate by color family.

After fiddling around with various options in EQ7, I landed on this one.  It's still a 7 x 7 layout like in the pattern, but I left off the white sashing that Carrie added to her blocks.  I just really liked the secondary pattern that emerged without it.

Block layout I finally decided on.

I had to do a little math to get the inner and outer border to work out (which I loved doing) because the center of my quilt is a bit smaller than the pattern.  I also decided to add a third border to make the quilt a better size for a child.  I found this deep purple Moda Marbles flannel in my stash that coordinates well with the center.  (I know it looks more blue than purple in the picture, but it really is a deep purple.)

My finished Bibelot quilt.

I've decided to call this quilt Child's Play.  It just seems so appropriate.  It finishes at 48" square and I'm hoping to get it quilted and delivered in short order.  I have another quilt already on the quilting frame, but this one will go on next.

As usual in our household, I had lots of help making this quilt.  Sam took her customary Supervisor role (on the back of the couch), David 'helped' with the piecing and Moses 'assisted' with the block layout.

Moses helping with block placement.

I was really surprised at how quickly this quilt went together.  From beginning to end it was only a couple of days - maybe 8 hours total.  I'm so glad I took the time to make it and hope I can continue to keep up with the monthly challenge.  That being said, I can't wait to see what they pick for April!

Until later...

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

La Maison - A wrap up...

I can hardly believe that today is March 30th and I've just finished my first quilt for the year.  I've made a couple of quilt tops, but this is the first one I've managed to actually get quilted.  This is the January Schnibbles quilt from Another Year of Schnibbles.  I'm calling mine La Maison.

La Maison Quilt

The quilt is based on the pattern Full House by Carrie Nelson.  I used 2 charm packs of Pom Pom de Paris  and changed the layout a bit.  I finished the top in January, but I've easily spent many more times quilting it than I did piecing it.  After stitching in the ditch, I quilted cobblestones where I pictured pathways.  That step took anywhere from 10 to 15 hours, but I love the effect of it.

Quilting the cobblestones

After finishing those, I quilted flowers in each of the 4-patches.  I traced the flower design onto quilting paper and quilted over it.

Quilting flowers in the flower beds.

A lot of the quilting is easier to see from the back of the quilt...

Back of the quilt

Next, I added chimneys to some of the houses and quilted the roofs.  I also added door knobs and a few windows.

Back of the quilt showing chimneys, roofs and door knobs.

The final step was the feather border around the outside.  I recently purchased one of the new Frixion pens from my local quilt store.  After trying it on scrap fabric, I used it to mark the feathers.  I drew them free hand and then quilted right on the lines.  Afterwards, I ironed over it and the pen disappeared.  It was so easy that I'll definitely be using this pen again!

Drawn feather border and the pen.

I knew if I put the extra time into quilting this, I would be happy I did when I finally finished.  And I am.  Now that it's done, I can say it was definitely worth it.  (But I'm also very glad to be done with it.)

So, here are the stats for this quilt:

• Size: 40" square
• Fabrics: 2 Charm Packs of Pom Pom de Paris, a mystery solid for the sashing, Basic Grey red grunge print for the backing and binding
• Batting: Warm &White
• Thread: Aurifil (piecing), YLI #100 silk thread for quilting the top and Aurifil in the bobbin
• Pattern: Full House by Carrie Nelson
• Quilting: Custom
• Started: January 2012
• Completed: March 30, 2012
• Recipient: Hanging in my sun room

Mr. Quilting Bug was sweet enough to hang this for me today.  The colors go perfectly with the walls and furniture in our sun room.  Did I mention how happy I am to have finished this?

Until later...

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. 

Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Fun mail (and a small rant)...

I got a fun package in the mail the other day.  I recently won a giveaway over at Sinta's blog, The Pink Pincushion.  I don't often win prizes, but I'm always grateful and excited when I do.  She was giving away several patterns because she found she had already purchased them.  Have you ever done that?  I know I've done it several times with fabric.  But I figure it just means I really, really liked it!

Giveaway package from Sinta

My favorite of the patterns is 'Forget Me Not' by The Cotton Way.  I want to dig through my stash and see what fabrics I have that will work for it.

And now for my rant.  Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the US Postal Service?  In the past six months, I've had more problems with them than in the previous 10 years combined.  For example, this is the way Sinta's package arrived at my house...

I'm grateful nothing fell out of it.  I've also had the following problems recently:

1. A Priority Mail package mailed from North Carolina to Wisconsin took 14 days to arrive.
2. A First Class letter mailed in-state from 2.5 hours away took 11 days to arrive.
3. A First Class letter again mailed in-state to 3 hours away took 8 days to arrive.  
4. A Priority Mail package mailed from North Carolina to Florida took 27 days to be delivered.

I imagine the decline in service is the result of necessary cutbacks, but I wonder how much worse it will get and if at some point, they'll have to close down.   I remember as a child hearing their 'motto' of "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."  I used to think so highly of this venerable institution and it's just a shame that their reputation has fallen so far.

Until later...

Johannes Kepler, the famous mathematician and astronomer, once said, “Science is simply thinking God’s thoughts after him.”