This Week's Progress - More "Blue Skies" and "Winter Twitterings"

 Hi There!

This week, I've been working on cutting and 

piecing my "Blue Skies" blocks.   

Yesterday afternoon, I can proudly say that all my individual blocks were all sewn together.  I now have to sew the blocks side-by-side to make "strips" and then, sew up the "strips.

That's one of the fun parts!  

Your work starts to materialize - no pun intended - in front of your eyes!

Here are a few strips that I've pieced together, so far.

And here's a picture of my sewing machine and the "Blue Skies" blocks.

In the evenings, I like to work on some "hand" stuff.

I finished my 1st block from the book,

"Winter Twitterings".

My friend, Frummie, had given me this book, when I was visiting her in Florida, a while back.

I figured it was finally time that I started it!

Here, its raining.  Its been raining FOREVER!

Can Mr. Sunshine come out an play?  

I've had enough of Mr. Rain, for now.

Wishing you a Wonderful Weekend!

Rosa

"Blue Skies" and "Bee Happy"

 Hi There!

So, Mom asked that I make her and Dad a quilt with blues and yellows.

Had a blue and yellow striped fabric that I've been meaning to use - its so cheerful!

And, finally decided to do Bonnie Hunter's quilt from her book "Adventures in Leaders and Enders" but I decided to simplify it, a bit.

Here are some of the blocks on my design wall.

I'll post another picture once the top's put together.

Calling this quilt "Blue Skies".

And today, I finished binding Gilbert's daughter's baby quilt.

Its from "Henry Glass" and its called "Bee Happy".

Tomorrow, I need to print out some more Inklingo melons so that I'll have something to hand piece when I go to my quilty group, on Thursday.  (more on that, later)

And its now 10h45 and I'm EXHAUSTED.

Good night, peeps!

Rosa

Friday's Progress Report

Hi There!

Remember that "Agenda" that I thought I'd force myself to do?

Well, I tried.  

I seriously did.

And all it did was make me miserable.

Monday was my Dear Jane day,

for example.

Tuesday morning, I would sit there and wish I could work on my DJ but Nooooo....  I "had" to work on Tuesday's project!

I've had previously taught myself to continue a quilty project until the end.  And that's how I manage to FINISH my projects!

This way, I felt like I was a butterfly, flittering from 1 flower to the next!

Sooooo, I've decided that the "Agenda" will be put into effect IF I have no other (recent) project that needs to be finished.

With this in mind, Gilbert quilted "Easy Al" yesterday and this morning, I will do the binding this morning

See?  I'll be able to brag that THIS quilt is finished!

*grin*

Gilbert took a picture of "Easy Al" on the frame,

once it was finished.

And yesterday, while Gilbert was quilting "Easy Al", I started sashing my Dear Jane blocks to make a good sized lap quilt and managed to add the outer borders, too!

Today, I'll add the label on the back and send it to my Longarmer.... 

(AKA Hubby or Gilbert)...

*grin*

For the past week, Gilbert and I have been searching for some Bumblebee fabric.  His daughter and her hubby are expecting their first child and have done the baby room in a bumblebee theme.

Do a Google search for Bumblebee fabric and chances are, you'll find the "Bee Happy" line by Henry Glass.  They have a GORGEOUS panel with coordinating fabrics, of course.

Well, we looked high and low, on the internet and ... do we order from a quilt store or from eBay?  Which had the better shipping?  Do they also have the coordinating fabric, to go around the panel, for the back of this baby quilt and for the binding?

Questions! Questions!

Along with...

Decisions.... Decisions....

Finally, I called up our local Fabricville and would you believe - they had the EXACT same panel, with coordinating fabrics?!??

Off to Fabricville to pick up the Bee Happy fabric panel as well as coordinating fabrics!

I was in Quilter's Heaven!!!!

(here, I've added borders to the panel...)

Here's a closeup of one of the bumblebees...

Gilbert and I just need to decide on what to put on the label.  

Then he will quilt his grandchild's quilt.

He said he'd probably do freehand "loops".

He thought it would represent the bee's flight.

Will post pictures later!

Have yourselves a Wonderful Weekend!!!

Rosa

Easy Al Tutorial

 Hi There!

I've finally finished the center of

"Easy Al".

I started working on the "outer" border and should have it all completed by tomorrow or Sunday.

See the mini triangles?

I'll be adding those on the outer border. 

 

So, while I was working on these blocks, 

I thought, "Hey!  Why not put up pictures with instructions on this quilt?  Kinda like a Tutorial!"

You'll only need to make these 2 blocks...

Several times, of course.

:-)

We'll start with the 4 patch.

Cut 3-1/2 inch strips - royal blue and a variety of plaids.

Sew these strips together - side by side.

Once sewn, cut the strips at 3-1/2 inches, into a 2 block.

Then, sew these 2 blocks with another 2 blocks to make a 4 patch block.

I'll give out the exact amount of blocks that I needed for a single quilt....  

Didn't think to take the number done.

But you need to make a bunch of 4 patch blocks.

Next, cut a 6-1/2 inch white background... or beige or white on white or black on white, or whatever.

You need a pale color block, cut at 6-1/2 inch.

Cut some plaid blocks at 3-1/2 inch square and put 'em on the edge of your white 6-1/2 inch block.  Here, I took a chalk line and marked from edge to edge.

Sew along your chalk line and cut 1/4 inch off, once sewn.  

See those 2 pieces of triangles that I cut off?  I saved 'em and that's what I made the mini triangles with.... on the outer border of this quilt.

Here's a picture of one of my mini triangles.

Before I sewed my mini triangles, I squared 'em up to 2-1/2 inches.

Will post final pictures of "Easy Al", once its all quilted and bound.  AND, I'll post the amount of blocks required to make a single quilt.

Have Super Saturday!

Rosa

Getting Organized - Progress Report

Hi There!

Remember, a while back, I decided to designate certain quilt projects for each day of the week?  Well, here's my progress report and my take on how this "Agenda" has been going.

Yesterday, was my "Dear Jane" day.  

Mind you, I also did errands and did laundry, etc, etc... but managed to finish 3 Dear Jane blocks.

Today, was my "Inklingo" day.

I hadn't done any Inklingo on my laptop, downstairs AND I got a new (Brother) printer in January(?) and had never used it for Inklingo purposes.

Anyhow, it took me about 1 hour to find the Inklingo pattern that I wanted, for my Rose Dream block.  I had to finally write to Linda Franz - I simply could NOT find it!

Soooo, another 1/2 an hour to decide on which quilt I wanted to make...

I mean... HONESTLY!!!!

Just take a LOOK at these gorgeous Rose Dream quilts!!!

And then, ANOTHER 1/2 hour or more, to find the perfect fabrics, in my stash!

By then, it was time for lunch!

Trust me - it never takes this long to print an Inklingo pattern!

Its just that everything that COULD go wrong, went "wrong" today!

*insert wry grin here*

Came back to my Sewing Studio and try and figure out the proper dimensions for this pattern.

Did I mention that I "thought" my ink cartridges were empty and we... I mean Gilbert put in new color cartridges?

FINALLY, at 3h30 I was had printed out a few shapes and managed to finish - almost - 1 of the 4 sections.

I was debating as to whether I should machine piece this quilt or hand piece it.

Hand piecing won!  

I want perfect seams and ... well... 

just a cute and perfect lap quilt!

Here's the pattern that I selected.

Cute, eh?

And who knows, eh?

I just might even hand quilt it, too!

*grin*

As to my feelings about designating certain days of the week to certain projects....  

I'm not really likin' it.  

For the past 2 years I've forced myself to concentrate on ONE project at a time .... 

And now, it feels like I'm jumping from 1 project to the next.  My heart is now yearning to work on and FINISH the previous day's project!

I'll figure it out.  

At least I'm never bored!

LOL!!!!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Tomorrow's my "Asian Quilt".

Rosa

Bobby's (Hospice) House Quilt #1 - FINISHED!!!

Hi There!

Friday, Gilbert finished the quilt that we will be presenting to Bobby's Hospice House.

This morning, I finished the binding!

I decided to "piece" the back. 

That's it, for today's Progress Pics!

Have a great week!

Rosa

Thursday and Friday's Activities

Hi There!

Progress Report Time....

Wednesday, as posted on here already, I finished off one of my flowers for my "Asian" quilt.  I still haven't come up with a proper name for this quilt and its made with "South Seas" fabric, so, for now its my "Asian" quilt.

Thursday, I managed to make another flower block, for this quilt.

Here's the flower collection, so far.

I think I need 9 flower blocks for this quilt.

Gilbert had my 1st "Bobby's Quilt" on Bertha,

our Longarm machine!

Its now ready to "bind".

I will post pictures once that's done.

And here's my new quilty project.

Its for my Dad.  His name is rather difficult to pronounce in English, so a lot of people call him "Easy".  He also LOVES his plaid shirts.  My Mom calls them his "Al Borland" shirts - re: "Tool Time" with "Tim, the Tool Man Taylor".  

Remember that show?

Taking all this into account, I've decided to name this quilt

"Easy Al".

By 4 p.m., I had managed to piece 4 rows!

I got the idea for this pattern from a picture of a quilt that I saw in one of my books.

They called it a variation of Jacob's Ladder.   

So far, it's coming together real easy and fairly quickly.  

And I'm lovin' the look of it, too!

This morning, Gilbert and I have a couple quick errands and then, this afternoon.... I am volunteering at our local Quilt Guild show.

Have a Super Saturday!

Rosa

Today's Agenda

Hi There!

Since today was designated as the day that I work on my "Asian" BOM (Block Of the Month)... circa 2010 quilt, I managed to finish another (machine) appliquéd flower block.

And no, I didn't take a picture.   

I'll try and remember to take one tomorrow.

Gilbert and I left the house around 4 p.m.  He had to go to Home Depot and pick up some melamine - white shelfing planks - that's what I'd call them .... and a few other items.

As we pulled into the parking lot, here's what he first spotted -  a BIG, RED, truck with the Milwaukee tool sign on the side.

In the past year or so, he's been buying Milwaukee tools - he's quite impressed with this brand.

After picking up everything on his list, we headed off to Boston Pizza, for supper.  

He took a surprise shot of me, playing with my iTouch.   

*grin*

After supper, we went to the city center.  Our local quilt guild's "Opening and Awards" ceremony was held, this evening!

Such lovely quilts but I forgot to take pictures!

Not to worry - I'll be going back there and will surely take some pictures to share!

That's about it!   

S'now 10h25 p.m. and I'm EXHAUSTED!

Have a Terrific Thursday!

Rosa

Not On Schedule

A few posts ago, I set up a weekly agenda or schedule and I got a few "congrats" on this.

But it sure is hard to stay on course!

Yesterday, I was supposed to play with Inklingo but had to do a binding on a client's quilt. I guess Inklingo was not to be.

Today, my Agenda said Asian blocks and I've managed, so far, to do only 1.

Will keep you posted.

Rosa