Two for one...

As promised I said I would let you in on a few of my loves this year. So to begin I thought I'd share a two'fer. The first is a new budding love...tea!  Let me clarify this, I'm a coffe drinker.  It got me through college...along with peanut butter and Kraft Mac & Cheese!!  Love my first cup in the morning. Love even some of the flavored coffees, but something unexpected happened last year. Typically I could drink a cup of coffee and go to sleep without any problem...until last year!  What's up with that?  Oh yeah, I'm over 50 and sh&@ happens. So I thought I'd give caffeine free tea a try because decaf coffee is an oxymoron in my book.  Well, I've learned that I don't love "regular" tea.  Don't get me wrong, it's okay but no love there. Then some others were recommended and I gave them a try.

I can now say I love the Bengal Spice tea and I'm enjoying this whole tea experience without the caffeine.  So if you're looking for something hot, but still want to get to sleep before 2:00am try some of these or let me know which teas you love!

Now for love #2......

I love finding a new pattern...having the fabrics just come together and then starting that new project!

This is just one example. I usually have many projects going at the same time...because I love to start new ones :). And yes I do finish them, but starting them is my favorite part. Anyone who knows me and quilting knows I really don't like to add borders. No particular reason, though I'm sure a psychiatrist would have a field day trying to figure out why. When they're done I'm happy, but not as happy as when I start the next one!!

So there you have it two of my loves for 2014.  

I’m fine and you?

Okay, I promise not to mention all the rain, heat, crazy weather we’ve had in the past week (beyond this sentence) if you don’t mention how long it’s been since I posted something here…alright, enough said! 

Last year we hosted a Half Square Triangle (HST) exchange where participants either signed on for 6 months or the whole year.  They brought in the required HST and I “shuffled” them up and returned them each month.   Then I gave them until June 1, 2013 to complete (relative word) something using these HST.  Now keep in mind they had anywhere from 504 to 1008 HST!!  Also I didn’t say they had to use them all or put them into just one project.  Well, on Saturday we got to see what some of these creative ladies came up with! 

These are just a few…if you go to our website and check out the Inspiration page you can see much more.

After the showing was all said and done a group of us were sitting around trying to come up with another exchange.  So this is our idea…keep in mind we’re trying to keep it simple.  We are going to do a four patch exchange.  Since we’ve done a nine patch on several occasions before we didn’t want to do that again and we didn’t want to make it something that would take a lot of time (like so many blocks we love) to complete each month.  So, the final quantity and all the other “rules” haven’t been determined yet but if you’re interested in finding out more just drop me a note (info@southamptonquilts.com) and I’ll let you know more when we know more!  I’m hoping to start it in July so it can run through to the end of the year…let me know your thoughts!!

Well, I’m glad to be back in your computer and I’ll be back soon  :)

Take care….Nancy

My summertime challenge blocks….

almost up to date!!  According to my calendar I should have 26 blocks done as of today.  I have 21 done and 5 almost completed…so I figure by midnight tonight they will be done.  It’s funny though each day that I thought I was caught up and would take a picture to share…poof it was another day and there I was one behind.  So last week I was going to be so smart and get ahead by 4 days and…poof I was behind by 3 days.  So, before it’s tomorrow and I’m behind again here is a shot of the finished blocks on the wall:

And now a shot of the 5 “almost done” blocks attached to my machine next to the bowl that is my inspiration for the block colors!

I just love this little bowl that Beth gave me…I didn’t want to put anything in it because then you wouldn’t see the pretty design.  I couldn’t just leave it out on the table unprotected from cat paws!!  So I have it under the acrylic extension table where I can admire it…and pick out just the right colors for my blocks!!

By August 31 I should have 73 blocks…I better get going!

I hope you’re enjoying your summer and having fun with blocks…

Summertime quilt block challenge…part 1

I sent out an email not too long ago showing this summers quilt block challenge.  Since summer officially began yesterday I should have two blocks done and I DO!  Of course the summer is still young and anything can happen.  I’ve decided to keep you updated on my progress here rather than continually send emails.  If you’d like to check in on how I’m doing visit back from time to time and please let me know how you’re doing as well.

I decided to make my blocks using the 1 1/2” finished Half Square Triangle paper (same folks that make the paper we are using for the HST exchange).  So for those that need visuals I’ve taken my block in steps for you.

I’m using three fabrics per block:  background, fabric A and fabric B (each block will be different).  You will need 4 Half Square Triangles each of background/fabric a, background/fabric b and fabric a/fabric b.  You will also need 4 squares of background fabric…in my case 2”.  So I took the HST paper and cut it into segments each will give me the 4 I need.

Following the instructions I stitched on the dashed lines and cut apart on the solid lines. 

So now I have all my pieces and parts for one block.

Here’s my finished block…start to finish about 40 minutes.

Until next time…happy summer!

I’m back……

Wow, what a surprise when I checked into the blog and realized it’s been over 3 months since I finished blogged something.  Where did the time go…on yeah, shop hop, freak snow storm, no power, no Halloween, Thanksgiving, Anniversary sale…and not much time in front of my sewing machine.  But just today (and it’s Friday) I actually finished two some things!  When the Grinch fabric came in earlier this year I had great ideas, but that’s as far as it went.  Then I found this really easy quilt…surfing the web.  Mary calls it “My favorite quick donation quilt” or quick-strippie.

I think it should be called “My wicked fast, super easy gift quilt”!  It only takes 3 fabrics, an hour (if that) of sewing.  Then “quilt as desired” stitch in the ditch works…bind and gift!  Of course I haven’t done the quilt and bind part yet, but all in good time.

My second “finish” is quilt-as-you-go placemats.  I needed new placemats in the Christmas theme and I’ve been hooked on the quilt-as-you-go technique.  So I dug around in my stash closet and pulled out reds and  greens and a fun fabric for the back and got to work.  I sort of based it on string quilts where you start in the center and work out.  Then I trimmed them down to the size I wanted…I can see I’ll be making more of these.

I’ll bring one by the shop if you’re interested…as long as I don’t spill dinner on it!!

Until next time…

Bright it is!

I couldn't decide if I'd finish the BRIGHT or WILD project for this Friday...the weeks weather told me to go BRIGHT...and look as I'm writing this I think I see the sun!!  So here it is

Firecracker by Jaybird Quilts












This was fun to do and a little quirky.  It uses the Lazy Angle ruler which makes it go together quite nicely...thanks Janet T. for introducing me to this designer.  We have so many bright tone on tones and the pattern only calls for fat eighths so of course I had to cut a few bundles just in case someone else just HAS to do one too.

Well my Friday friends I have to make this my final "Finish it up Friday" until after Shop Hop.  There are so many quilts running around in my head that I must have ready for our weekend...and of course I want them to be a surprise...that I really should concentrate.  I'm sure though that I'll give you a sneak peek at these projects in progress!!  So check back during the week from time to time.

Enjoy the sunshine this weekend....

This is either very late or some what early…or both!

Let me begin by saying I really did finish something last week but not by Friday…Saturday, I even have a witness!  Right Maureen?  Tap, tap, Maureen?  Back me up here!  Anyway, if you’re familiar with “Little Golden Books” such as “Saggy Baggy Elephant” or “Pokey Little Puppy” this is from the “Tawny Scrawny Lion”.  The fabric looks just like the books illustrations.  Now the panel came with instructions to make it into a soft book, but alas I was feeling challenged and couldn’t make sense of it.  So I went onto Quilting Treasures website  www.quiltingtreasures.com and searched through their free patterns and found this easy pattern using the fabrics!  I made just one slight change in the instructions.  They call for 3 1/2 yards for the outer border…what?!  Well, if you cut it 1/2” narrower and put the green of the strip next to the quilt center (instead of the blue) then 1 2/3 yards works just fine.  So here is was last weeks “Finish up Friday”…

 

 

 

Now onto this week (tomorrow).  If you’ve been to the shop lately then you’ve seen this runner on display in different fabrics.  It’s similar to a runner seen online called The Ten Minute Runner, but I like this version better…just my opinion!  And, I bet you already have the pattern…if you have the Spring/Summer 2011 Quilt Sampler that is.  Turn to the last page…opposite the back cover…simple, simple, simple!  Don’t have the magazine?  Not to worry -  we have plenty!!

So, let’s do the math…last week was late finishing by one day and posting by six days.  This week was finished early by four days and posting by one day…I’m guessing that I’m really only two days late!! 

 

I’ll try to be on time next week…